All roads lead to Rome

The impact of multiple attainment means on motivation

Datos Bibliográficos

ID6203230
AutoresSzu-Chi Huang, Szu‐chi Huang (0000-0002-0279-5199, The University of Texas at Austin), Ying Zhang (0000-0001-6214-2440)
Año2013
Volumen104
Número2
Páginas236-248
Fecha de publicación2013-01-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Personality and Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0022-3514 • E-ISSN: 1939-1315
EditorialAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/a0031039
PMID23276274
OpenAlexW2153755719
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas10
Referencias citadas23

Individuals have different concerns before and after they become relatively certain about a goal's attainability; hence, we propose that the presence of alternative means of goal attainment will have a distinctive impact on motivation, depending on their stage of goal pursuit. In the initial stage of goal pursuit, people are concerned about whether the goal is attainable. The presence of multiple attainment means (vs. a single means) makes the goal seem more easily attainable and thus leads to greater motivation. Conversely, when people have made substantial progress on the goal and its attainment is relatively secured, they focus more on how they can race to the end and complete the pursuit. At these times, a single means (vs. multiple means) provides a more straightforward action plan and in turn leads to greater motivation. Two field studies and 3 lab experiments support this theorizing

Action (physics) · Cognitive psychology · Field (mathematics) · Focus (optics) · Goal Orientation · Goal pursuit · Goal setting · Need for achievement · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology