International Journal of Business and Behavioral Sciences Vol. 3, No.1; January 2013 27 An exploration of relationship between perceptual learning styles and achievement goals Muhammad Akram 1 , *Shahzad Farid 2 , Waqas Ali Khan 2 , Muhammad Luqman 3 and Imtiaz Ahmed Warriach 4 1 Lecturer of Psychology, Govt. Postgraduate College Vehari, Pakistan. 2 M.Phil Scholar of Sociology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan. 3 M.Sc Sociology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, 4 Assistant Professor in Sociology Department, Bahauddin Zakariya University. *Farid420@rocketmail.com Abstract The present research is an effort to investigate the relationship between selected perceptual learning styles----the distinctive way of acquiring knowledge, and selected achievement goals---the purpose or reasons to accomplish a task. A sample of 100 students selected from government and private schools to identify their learning styles and achievement goal preferences. Results indicated positive correlation between chosen perceptual learning styles and achievement goals, it was also explored that English mediuŵ schools’ studeŶts prefer tactile learŶiŶg style aŶd Ŷot eŶgaged ǁith ŵastery goals, ǁhereas, oŶ coŶtrary, Urdu ŵediuŵ schools’ studeŶt haǀe ŵastery goal. As for as faŵily system concerns, the analysis resulted that students belongs to joint family system prefer mastery goal and visual learning style, and gender based inference depicts females prefer performance goal aŶd ǀisual learŶiŶg style. GoǀerŶŵeŶt schools’ iŶstructors ŵust iŶǀolǀe the studeŶts iŶ ǀarious tasks to accomplish and strive to teach them through representation of maps, charts or concise material whereas in English medium school pedagogical perspective should be approached to teach by playing with them or involvement in different games with them. Keywords: perceptual learning styles, achievement goals 1. Introduction 1.1 Learning style Learning is a lifelong process and each individual have distinctive characteristics as personality theorists claim that each individual is unique, similarly, they learns in different way as Reiff (1992) argues that eǀerLJ learŶer’s attriďutes are relate to his/her learŶiŶg proĐess, that ŵight due to biological, psychological or sociological differences, therefore, some scholars scrutinize learning style as cognitive process as Riding and Cheema (1991) conducted a survey research and classified individuals on cognitive basis. Grasha (1996) elaborated his own learning style questionnaire which is based on social interaction. Learning is style is as much important for students as for teachers because both are inalienable as Manochehr (2007) claimed that match between them resulted better student achievement. Pedagogical approach toward students reveals that lecturers are not ofteŶ ǁell aǁare froŵ studeŶts’ learŶiŶg stLJles, theLJ used to teaĐh theŵ ďLJ their learŶi ng style underestimating their learning style that often resulted as inattentiveness and unexpected consequences from students. Dunn, R. (1993) explored that teachers used to teach without investigating students learning style. Kolb (1984) delineate learŶiŶg stLJle as aŶ iŶdiǀidual’s preferred ǁaLJs of proĐessiŶg aŶd traŶsforŵiŶg knowledge, whereas, Keefe (1987) considered learning style as cognitive and psychological characteristics. Students approach to their own learning style have essential role in educational outĐoŵes ;LeuŶg aŶd WeŶg, ϮϬϬ7Ϳ so, the iŶstruĐtor’s reĐogŶitioŶ ǁith learŶer’s learŶiŶg stLJle is imperative (Leung and Ivy, 2003) for both of them because it makes the learning adorable and