BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS OF SELF‐SET GOALS FOR DIFFERENT TIME RANGES

Abstract

The effects of self‐set goals on self‐reported goal‐directed activity in different time ranges were investigated. The relationship between goal specificity, future time perspective and goal‐directed activity were also examined. Subjects wrote down goals they had set for times ranges from 1 week to life span and then completed the Goal Questionnaire in reference to one goal, randomly selected by the experimenter. By means of factor analyses three goal‐properties scales, importance, expectancy, conflict, and three action scales, effort, persistence, and satisfaction were created. Analyses revealed that with increasing time range there is an increase in level of importance, effort, persistence, and satisfaction, and a decrease in conflict. Goal expectancy appeared relatively stable. More specific analyses revealed that high importance leads to higher effort and satisfaction but to lower persistence. All action indices were positively related to expectancy of success and subjectively expected goal value. Effort and satisfaction were negatively related to goal conflict. The predictability of action dimensions from the goal's properties (percent of accounted variance) generally decreased with time ranges. It was also found that a higher goal specificity and a longer future time perspective lead to greater persistence and satisfaction in the pursuit of more proximal goals.