Chapter 7- human behavior (human motivation)

Goals in Human Behavior

  • All human behavior is founded on a goal that underlies it.

Importance of Goals

  • Dimensions of Goals (Austin & Vancouver, 1996):

    • Importance

    • Difficulty

    • Specificity

    • Temporal Range

    • Level of Consciousness

    • Connectedness

Goal Structure and Control Theory

  • Negative Feedback Loop Control Theory (Carver & Scheier, 1998; Lord & Hanges, 1987):

    • Motivational theory emphasizing a negative feedback loop.

    • A model of human behavior that focuses on discrepancy detection and reduction.

    • All systems operate by detecting discrepancies and removing them.

Feedback Loop Components

  • Components of Control Theory (Carver & Scheier, 1998):

    • Comparator: standard for measuring performance

    • Environmental Disturbance: external factors affecting behavior

    • Input: perception of performance

    • Behavior: actions taken in response

    • Output: resulting performance level

Goal Phases: Lewin et al. (1944)

  • Two Phases of Goal-Based Behavior:

    • Goal-Setting

    • Goal-Striving

Goal-Setting Theory (Locke & Latham, 1990; 2002)

  • Difficult, specific goals lead to better performance compared to easy or general goals.

  • Goals direct attention, mobilize effort, enable persistence, and lead to strategy development.

  • Meta-analyses indicate medium to large effects with Cohen’s d ranging from 0.42 to 0.80.

  • Study Reference: Latham & Baldes (1975) - "Practical Value of Goal Setting."

Risks of Goal Setting

  • Goals Gone Wild (Ordonez et al., 2008; Welsh & Ordonez, 2014):

    • Goals can become problematic when:

      • Overly specific/challenging (e.g., Wells Fargo - led to risk-taking and unethical behavior).

      • Increased stress and dissatisfaction from unmet goals.

      • Inhibition of learning and cooperation.

      • Decrease in intrinsic motivation.

Goal Choice and Commitment

  • Factors Influencing Goal Choice:

    • Expectancy Theory applies here:

      • Expectancies for varying performance outcomes (e.g., B vs. A grades).

      • Consideration of outcomes such as GPA increases, knowledge gained, etc.

      • Valences: attractiveness of outcomes rated on a scale from -10 to +10.

      • Instrumentality: perceived relationship between performance and achieved outcomes from 0 to 1.0.

      • Expectancy: perceived relationship between effort and performance, scored between 0 to 1.0.

    • Motivational Force Calculation:
      MF = [(V1 imes I1) + (V2 imes I2) + (V3 imes I3) + (V4 imes I4)] imes E

Goal Assignment: Acceptance and Commitment

  • Translating assigned goals into personal goals enhances commitment.

  • Strategies for Goal Assignment:

    • Participative Goal Setting:

      • Distinction between directive (“Tell”) and supporting (“Tell and sell”) approaches.

      • Importance of autonomy support in goal assignment.

Challenges in Goal-Striving

  • Common Problems in Goal-Striving:

    • Distraction (Preoccupation): Negative thoughts, other goals, or task demands impede focus.

    • Premature Disengagement: Giving up or switching tasks too early leads to lack of achievement.

    • Inability to Initiate Action: Procrastination and missed opportunities to act.

Strategies to Overcome Challenges

  • Distraction Strategies:

    • Address negative thoughts and emotions effectively.

    • Employ techniques to control attention and motivation, such as incentives.

    • Develop willpower and sustain motivation.

  • Action Initiation Strategies:

    • Use implementation intentions (if-then scenarios):

      • For example, "If Situation X occurs, I will initiate goal-directed behavior."