Abstract
Recent research has demonstrated that the cognitive processes associated with goal pursuit can continue to interfere with unrelated tasks when a goal is unfulfilled. Drawing from the self-regulation and goal-striving literatures, the present study explored the impact of goal failure on subsequent cognitive and physical task performance. Furthermore, we examined if the autonomous or controlled motivation underpinning goal striving moderates the responses to goal failure. Athletes (75 male, 59 female, Mage = 19.90 years, SDage = 3.50) completed a cycling trial with the goal of covering a given distance in 8 min. Prior to the trial, their motivation was primed using a video. During the trial they were provided with manipulated performance feedback, thus creating conditions of goal success or failure. No differences emerged in the responses to goal failure between the primed motivation or performance feedback conditions. We make recommendations for future research into how individuals can deal with failure in goal striving.
Highlights
Goals form an important function in daily life
The data were screened for multivariate outliers using Mahalanobis distance; this resulted in the removal of four further participants
The final sample consisted of 126 participants (AS; n = 34, autonomous prime failure feedback (AF); n = 31, controlled prime success feedback (CS); n = 32, controlled prime failure feedback (CF); n = 29)
Summary
A wealth of research has examined how individuals can optimally strive toward their goals in order to experience goal attainment. While individuals may hope for success in all of their endeavors, the reality is that they will, at times, not reach the targeted objective and experience failure in their goal pursuits. Carver and Scheier (2003) suggested that individuals may respond in several ways when they appraise the obstacles experienced in goal pursuit as too difficult to overcome. Individuals might choose an alternative path to their goal or form a new goal, both of which might lead to a higher order goal. Individuals can scale back their original goal. Both options have the potential for positive behavioral and affective outcomes. Individuals may disengage from their goal without adopting a new goal. Carver and Scheier (2003) suggested that this latter option would result in aimlessness, emptiness, and loneliness
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