Long-term Effects of Goal Difficulty and Improvement Goals on Attitudes and Performance

Long-term Effects of Goal Difficulty and Improvement Goals on Attitudes and Performance PDF Author: Megan T. Arens
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Goal (Psychology)
Languages : en
Pages : 112

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Book Description
Numerous studies have found that assigning specific and difficult goals consistently leads to higher performance than urging people to do their best (Locke & Latham, 2002). However, little research has studied the effects of goal difficulty on performance over repeated trials. In this study, performers were assigned a specific outcome goal attained by 10% of performers (norm-referenced goal, NR), a specific improvement goal attained by only 10% of performers (self-referenced goal, SR), or a do one's best goal. Arguments for specific hypotheses were based in achievement goal, goal commitment, and self-regulation theories (e.g. Grant & Dweck, 2003; Locke & Latham, 1990; Wood & Bandura, 1989). It was hypothesized that these different goal assignments would influence motivational and affective consequences. More specifically, benefits from setting SR goals, compared to NR goals, were expected for performance, persistence, satisfaction, and personal goals. The benefits of possessing SR goals were expected to be strongest for low self-efficacy performers. Results neither supported significant main effects between goal type and performance nor the expected interaction of goal type and self-efficacy. However, participants assigned a NR goal set higher personal goals after all performance trials concluded than those told to do their best, and individuals with high self-efficacy set higher personal goals than those with low self-efficacy. Also, participants told to their best were more satisfied with past performances than those given a SR goal, and participants with high performance levels were more satisfied with past performances.

Long-term Effects of Goal Difficulty and Improvement Goals on Attitudes and Performance

Long-term Effects of Goal Difficulty and Improvement Goals on Attitudes and Performance PDF Author: Megan T. Arens
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Goal (Psychology)
Languages : en
Pages : 112

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Book Description
Numerous studies have found that assigning specific and difficult goals consistently leads to higher performance than urging people to do their best (Locke & Latham, 2002). However, little research has studied the effects of goal difficulty on performance over repeated trials. In this study, performers were assigned a specific outcome goal attained by 10% of performers (norm-referenced goal, NR), a specific improvement goal attained by only 10% of performers (self-referenced goal, SR), or a do one's best goal. Arguments for specific hypotheses were based in achievement goal, goal commitment, and self-regulation theories (e.g. Grant & Dweck, 2003; Locke & Latham, 1990; Wood & Bandura, 1989). It was hypothesized that these different goal assignments would influence motivational and affective consequences. More specifically, benefits from setting SR goals, compared to NR goals, were expected for performance, persistence, satisfaction, and personal goals. The benefits of possessing SR goals were expected to be strongest for low self-efficacy performers. Results neither supported significant main effects between goal type and performance nor the expected interaction of goal type and self-efficacy. However, participants assigned a NR goal set higher personal goals after all performance trials concluded than those told to do their best, and individuals with high self-efficacy set higher personal goals than those with low self-efficacy. Also, participants told to their best were more satisfied with past performances than those given a SR goal, and participants with high performance levels were more satisfied with past performances.

The Effects of Goal Difficulty on Performance

The Effects of Goal Difficulty on Performance PDF Author: Andrew C. Stedry
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Job analysis
Languages : en
Pages : 56

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Book Description
Perceptions of a goal in an area as challenging, easy, and impossible did not produce performance improvement in that order in the area; nor did performance in the other area follow the reverse order. Sample size was insufficient to test the greater effect to two difficult goals on production of impossible perceptions. Support was provided for the proposition that difficult goals perceived as impossible produced poorer performance improvement than goals perceived either as easy or challenging. Further analysis of the data revealed that, had the performance hypotheses been stated in the absence of perception -- i.e., difficult goals will produce either very good or very poor performance relative to normal goals -- confirmation would have been obtained. Futhermore, difficult goals in an area appeared to be associated with extremes in performance when the other area had a difficult goal, but this effect was not observed with a normal goal in the second area. Finally, although perceptions were not successful in predicting performance in one area, the combined performance in the two areas could be represented quite well as a linear function of the goal perceptions in the two areas. (Author).

The Effects of Goal Difficulty on Performance

The Effects of Goal Difficulty on Performance PDF Author: Andrew C. Stedry
Publisher: Forgotten Books
ISBN: 9780332089195
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 64

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Book Description
Excerpt from The Effects of Goal Difficulty on Performance: A Field Experiment In spite of the theory and evidence indicating that organizations formulate goals for their activities y and the almost ubiquitous presence of budgets and quotas in organizations to influence behavior, systematic investigation of the effects of goals on behavior is rare. Psychological research on aspiration level has focused on how performance affects the aspiration level determination or how the latter is affected by personality variables or group influences. References will be found in Rotter (19510 and Lewin shag to studies which relate performance in Me; tasks to the aspiration level formation process used on the experimental task. Neither those works nor the more recent summary of Starbuck (1963) appear to indicate specific investigation of the effect of the aspiration level on performance in the same task. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

A Theory of Goal Setting & Task Performance

A Theory of Goal Setting & Task Performance PDF Author: Edwin A. Locke
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 440

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The Effects of Goal Difficulty on Performance: A Field Experiment

The Effects of Goal Difficulty on Performance: A Field Experiment PDF Author: A. Stedry
Publisher: Palala Press
ISBN: 9781378967812
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 60

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Book Description
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

New Developments in Goal Setting and Task Performance

New Developments in Goal Setting and Task Performance PDF Author: Edwin A. Locke
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0415885485
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 690

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Book Description
This book concentrates on the last twenty years of research in the area of goal setting and performance at work. The editors and contributors believe goals affect action, and this volume will have a lineup of international contributors who look at the recent theories and implications in this area for IO psychologists and human resource management academics and graduate students.

The Handbook of Behavior Change

The Handbook of Behavior Change PDF Author: Martin S. Hagger
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108750117
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 730

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Book Description
Social problems in many domains, including health, education, social relationships, and the workplace, have their origins in human behavior. The documented links between behavior and social problems have compelled governments and organizations to prioritize and mobilize efforts to develop effective, evidence-based means to promote adaptive behavior change. In recognition of this impetus, The Handbook of Behavior Change provides comprehensive coverage of contemporary theory, research, and practice on behavior change. It summarizes current evidence-based approaches to behavior change in chapters authored by leading theorists, researchers, and practitioners from multiple disciplines, including psychology, sociology, behavioral science, economics, philosophy, and implementation science. It is the go-to resource for researchers, students, practitioners, and policy makers looking for current knowledge on behavior change and guidance on how to develop effective interventions to change behavior.

Same Goal, Different Day

Same Goal, Different Day PDF Author: James F. Graham
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Management
Languages : en
Pages : 102

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Book Description
"Goal theory has existed for many years. It has received wide study in academia and has become a large part of practitioner efforts to improve organizational performance. In all cases, goal setting has resulted in better organizational performance than its counter philosophy of "do your best". With the demands on organizations to compete globally and be competitive in an uncertain environment, it has never been more important for organizations to focus their efforts in the most effective way possible. Much research has been devoted to the many aspects of goal theory: self-set versus assigned, hard versus easy, group versus individual. One aspect that has not received much attention has been the effect of past experience on a group or individual's acceptance of the goal and repetitive goal usage. Given the prevalence of repetitive--daily, weekly, monthly, or annual goals--in the workplace, this issue is of critical importance. Using archival production records from a mid-west manufacturing firm, regression analysis was used to test hypotheses for effects of goal difficulty and past experience as well as their interaction on current performance. All models were found to be statistically significant, explaining up to 68% of the variance in current performance. As previously tested and supported in other research, difficult goals are positively associated with task performance. Contrary to previous testing, past experience was not a significant predictor of current performance. While the interaction of goal difficulty and past experience was statistically significant, the result was in a direction opposite to prediction, failing to support the initial hypothesis. These failures are attributed to statistical difficulties in the analysis arising from several factors encountered with the field study and the use of archival data. These included the measuring of goal difficulty, accounting for the use of repetitive goals prior to the period of this study's observation, and the potential effect of streamlined operations through lean manufacturing principles in combination with repetitive goal setting which possibly created a ceiling effect on impact of setting hard goals. These challenges and statistical results are discussed. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are presented."-- Abstract.

New Developments in Goal Setting and Task Performance

New Developments in Goal Setting and Task Performance PDF Author: Edwin A. Locke
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136180958
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 690

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Book Description
This book concentrates on the last twenty years of research in the area of goal setting and performance at work. The editors and contributors believe goals affect action, and this volume has a lineup of international contributors who look at the recent theories and implications in this area for IO psychologists and human resource management academics and graduate students.

Disentangling the Effects of Goal Difficulty and Specificity

Disentangling the Effects of Goal Difficulty and Specificity PDF Author: Goran Kuljanin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Goal setting in personnel management
Languages : en
Pages : 190

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Book Description