Choice Of Goals Research Articles

Individual and social dimensions of Filipino students' achievement goals

Achievement goal theory assumes that self-instrumental (mastery) achievement goals are associated with academic achievement, whereas social-instrumental (performance) goals are not. However, research on Asian students shows that both mastery and performance-approach goals are positively related to achievement; possibly because achievement motivation in Asian cultures is socially oriented and not individually oriented. The current study explored the structure of the social and individual achievement motivation orientations, and how these achievement orientations and achievement goals were related to achievement of Filipino university students. The results showed two dimensions of social-oriented achievement motivations-parent-oriented and teacher-oriented motivations-and two dimensions of individual-oriented achievement motivations-personal performance standards and personal goal choice. However, these achievement motivation orientations were not associated with achievement. Instead mastery and performance-approach goals were both positively associated with academic achievement, personal performance standards, and parent-oriented achievement motivation.

Investigating and profiling the leadership behaviours of Jordanian nursing leaders

Leadership' is a social process in which a member or members of a group influence the interpretation of events, choice of goals/outcomes, organization of work activities, motivation, abilities, power relations, and shared orientations. This study identifies leadership behaviours of Jordanian nursing leaders. A descriptive comparative design was used to collect data from four governmental and three private hospitals. Data were collected during April 2005. The total number of recruited nursing leaders was 140 with a 70% response rate. T-tests and chi-squares were performed to compare the phenomenon of interest. The mean reported leadership behaviours were slightly higher in private hospitals than those in governmental hospitals. However, more than half of the time, leaders in both types of hospitals used supportive leadership behaviours. There were significant differences between governmental and private hospitals in most demographics of the sample. Based on types of hospitals and gender, differences in leadership behaviours were advantageous for nursing leaders in private hospitals, while differences based on units and wards were advantageous for nursing leaders in governmental hospitals. In general, Jordanian nursing leaders used supportive leadership behaviours. Differences in leadership behaviours have implications for nursing practice, research, and education.

The Goals of Socio-economic Development of Russia in Four Strategies

The paper considers the role of goals in the strategies of socio-economic development. The problems of choice of goals’ indicators and their influence on government administration processes are discussed. The general framework is adapted to possible goals’ systems of four strategies: "Inertia", "Renter", "Mobilization", and "Modernization". The structure of supporting goals for the latter is detailed.

Transient Neuronal Correlations Underlying Goal Selection and Maintenance in Prefrontal Cortex

We reported previously that as monkeys used abstract response strategies to choose spatial goals, 1 population of prefrontal cortex neurons encoded future goals (F cells), whereas a largely separate population encoded previous goals (P cells). Here, to better understand the mechanisms of goal selection and maintenance, we studied correlated activity among pairs of these neurons. Among the 3 possible types of pairs, F-F and F-P pairs often exhibited significant correlations when and after monkeys selected future goals but P-P pairs rarely did. These correlations were stronger when monkeys shifted from a previous goal than when they stayed with that goal. In addition, members of F-F pairs usually preferred the same goal and thus shared both prospective coding and spatial tuning properties. In contrast, cells composing F-P pairs usually had different spatial preferences and thus shared neither coding nor spatial tuning properties. On the assumption that the neurons composing a pair send convergent outputs to target neurons, their correlated activity could enhance their efficacy in context-dependent goal selection, goal maintenance, and the transformation of goal choices into action.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Goal Choice Interventions for Alcohol Use Disorders Among Men Who Have Sex With Men

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Goal Choice Interventions for Alcohol Use Disorders Among Men Who Have Sex With Men

The Motivation-Volition Divide and Its Resolution in Action-Phase Models of Developmental Regulation

I discuss the long-standing divide in motivational psychology between issues of motivation (i.e., why strive for certain goals) and of volition (i.e., how to strive for chosen goals). This debate began in the 1920s between Lewin (1926) and Ach (1905, 1910) and was revived in the 1980s by Kuhl (1983) who proposed a distinction between motivation (choice of goal) and volition (pursuit of goal). Action-phase models lay out motivation and volition sequentially and are useful for investigating processes of developmental regulation across the life course. Shifts between different phases of action are salient during transitions affecting opportunities from better to worse or vice versa. Several studies have addressed phenomena of interphase adaptation of motivational mind-sets to shifting goal-related opportunities in the context of life-course transitions.

Encoding of Action History in the Rat Ventral Striatum

In a dynamic environment, animals need to update information about the rewards expected from their alternative actions continually to make optimal choices for its survival. Because the reward resulting from a given action can be substantially delayed, the process of linking a reward to its causative action would be facilitated by memory signals related to the animal's previous actions. Although the ventral striatum has been proposed to play a key role in updating the information about the rewards expected from specific actions, it is not known whether the signals related to previous actions exist in the ventral striatum. In the present study, we recorded neuronal ensemble activity in the rat ventral striatum during a visual discrimination task and investigated whether neuronal activity in the ventral striatum encoded signals related to animal's previous actions. The results show that many neurons modulated their activity according to the animal's goal choice in the previous trial, indicating that memory signals for previous actions are available in the ventral striatum. In contrast, few neurons conveyed signals on impending goal choice of the animal, suggesting the absence of decision signals in the ventral striatum. Memory signals for previous actions might contribute to the process of updating the estimates of rewards expected from alternative actions in the ventral striatum.

Life Goals Matter to Happiness: A Revision of Set-Point Theory

Using data from the long-running German Socio-Economic Panel Survey (SOEP), this paper provides evidence that life goals matter substantially to subjective well-being (SWB). Non-zero sum goals, which include commitment to family, friends and social and political involvement, promote life satisfaction. Zero sum goals, including commitment to career success and material gains, appear detrimental to life satisfaction. Finding that conscious life goals matter can potentially make an important contribution to SWB theory. The most widely accepted theory—set-point or dynamic equilibrium theory—essentially claims that set-points are near-automatic consequences of hereditary characteristics, including personality traits. Life goals play no role in these theories and major life events are viewed as having only a transitory effect. The SOEP panel data show that, over a 15–20 year period, non-trivial minorities record substantial changes in their set-points. This paper shows linkages between these changes and (a) the personality traits of extraversion, neuroticism and internal locus of control and (b) choice of life goals.

Exploring the role of context‐dependent hippocampal activity in spatial alternation behavior

In a continuous T-maze spatial alternation task, CA1 place cells fire differentially on the stem of the maze as rats are performing left- and right-turn trials (Wood et al. (2000) Neuron 27:623-633). This context-dependent hippocampal activity provides a potential mechanism by which animals could solve the alternation task, as it provides a cue that could prime the appropriate goal choice. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between context-dependent hippocampal activity and spatial alternation behavior. We report that rats with complete lesions of the hippocampus learn and perform the spatial alternation task as well as controls if there is no delay between trials, suggesting that the observed context-dependent hippocampal activity does not mediate alternation behavior in this task. However lesioned rats are significantly impaired when delays of 2 or 10 s are interposed. Recording experiments reveal that context-dependent hippocampal activity occurs in both the delay and no-delay versions of the task, but that in the delay version it occurs during the delay period, and not on the stem of the maze. These data are consistent with a role for context-dependent hippocampal activity in delayed spatial alternation, but suggest that, according to specific task demands and memory load, the activity may be generated by different mechanisms and/or in different brain structures.

Choice Goal Attainment and Decision and Consumption Satisfaction

Several individual, social-setting, and choice-set factors have been shown to be related to satisfaction. This article argues that these factors operate through a set of choice goals. Using panel data on purchasers of consumer electronics, the authors examine how five goals (justifiability, confidence, anticipated regret, evaluation costs, and final negative affect) drive decision and consumption satisfaction, which in turn determine loyalty, product recommendations, and the amount and valence of word of mouth.

An Internet-based Assessment Tool for Food Choices and Physical Activity Behaviors

Most nutrition education programs use a combination of data collection and education tools, which are administered by a nutrition professional and are designed to increase interactivity and influence behavior of the participant, such as by identifying personal, social, and environmental barriers to healthful eating habits. 1 Lee S. Reicks M. Environmental and behavioral factors are associated with the calcium intake of low-income adolescent girls. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003; 103: 1526-1529 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (32) Google Scholar In these education programs, a self-management tool may enhance personal skills necessary for overcoming barriers, achieving goals, and encouraging self-efficacy. 2 Roach J.B. Yadrick K. Johnson J.T. Boudreaux L.J. Forsythe W.A. Billon W. Using self-efficacy to predict weight loss among young adults. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003; 103: 1357-1359 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (55) Google Scholar But a tool had not been found that provided both ease of use and very practical advice related to managing one’s nutrition lifestyle. The authors decided to design a program that was a more unique tool in that it helped individuals critically assess their eating and physical activity behaviors and provided individualized, practical goal choices to plan for “small changes over time.” Having the program Internet-based also made it very useful for instructors to incorporate into their curriculum.

A randomized controlled trial of goal choice interventions for alcohol use disorders among men who have sex with men.

This study tested the efficacy of behavioral treatments for alcohol use disorders (AUD) among men who have sex with men (MSM) and who are at risk for HIV transmission. HIV-negative MSM with current AUD (N = 198) were recruited, offered treatment focused on reducing drinking and HIV risk, and followed during treatment and 12 months posttreatment. Participants (n = 89) accepted treatment and were randomized to either 4 sessions of motivational interviewing (MI) or 12 sessions of combined MI and coping skills training (MI + CBT). Other participants (n = 109) declined treatment but were followed, forming a non-help-seeking group (NHS). MI yielded significantly better drinking outcomes during the 12-week treatment period than MI + CBT, but posttreatment outcomes were equivalent. NHS participants significantly reduced their drinking as well. Service delivery and treatment research implications are discussed.

The Influence of Affect on Goal Choice and Task Performance

The present study investigated the influence of mood on self‐set goals and task performance. Results from 2 studies suggest a restricted view of mood effects in which affective state influences the level of self‐set goals or task performance, but not both. Study 2 reveals asymmetrical mood effects on task performance, with positive‐ and negative‐mood participants exceeding the baseline performance of neutral mood participants. Evidence indicates that goal‐setting instructions may alter how individuals interpret motivational implications of mood. Although theory implies an inclusive view in which mood has both direct and indirect (through goal‐setting) performance effects, the conflicting influences of affect infusion at different points of the goal‐striving process may diminish the likelihood of observing inclusive effects.

Editorial

Editorial

Changes in goal selection induced by cue conflicts are in register with predictions from changes in place cell field locations.

In the cognitive mapping theory of hippocampal function, currently active place cells represent a rat's spatial location (J. O'Keefe & L. Nadel, 1978). A systematic shift of firing field locations should therefore produce a similar shift in a rat's judgment of its location. A. A. Fenton, G. Csizmadia, and R. U. Muller (2000a) recorded place cells in cylinders with 2 cue cards separated by 135 degrees . When the separation was changed, firing fields moved systematically, as described by a vector-field equation (A. A. Fenton, G. Csizmadia, & R. U. Muller, 2000b). Given this cohesive movement of firing fields, the mapping theory predicts that a rat's decisions about the location of an unmarked goal should move after card separation changes, as described by the vector-field equation. The authors tested this reasoning with a task in which the rat earned a food reward by pausing in a small, unmarked goal zone. When cues were shifted in the absence of reward, goal choice shifts were accurately predicted by the vector-field equation, providing strong support for the notion that a rat's judgment of its spatial location is intimately related to the across-cell discharge pattern of simultaneously active place cells.

Grasping the unavoidable subjectivity in calibration of flood inundation models: A vulnerability weighted approach

Quantitative modeling of risk and hazard from flooding involves decisions regarding the choice of model and goal of the modeling exercise, expressed by some measure of performance. This paper shows how the subjectivity in the choices of performance measures and observation sets used for model calibration inevitably results in variability in the estimation of flood hazard. We compare the predictions of a 2D flood inundation model obtained using different global and local evaluation criteria. It is shown that traditional area averaging performance measures are inadequate in the face of model imperfection, especially when such models are calibrated for flood hazard studies. In this study we include flood risk weighting into the performance measure of the model. This allows us to calibrate the model to places that are important, e.g. location of houses. The quantification of the importance of places requires the necessity of engaging stakeholders into the model calibration process.

New Directions in Goal-Setting Theory

Goal-setting theory is summarized regarding the effectiveness of specific, difficult goals; the relationship of goals to affect; the mediators of goal effects; the relation of goals to self-efficacy; the moderators of goal effects; and the generality of goal effects across people, tasks, countries, time spans, experimental designs, goal sources (i.e., self-set, set jointly with others, or assigned), and dependent variables. Recent studies concerned with goal choice and the factors that influence it, the function of learning goals, the effect of goal framing, goals and affect (well-being), group goal setting, goals and traits, macro-level goal setting, and conscious versus subconscious goals are described. Suggestions are given for future research.

Brief intervention for prenatal alcohol use: The role of drinking goal selection

The behavioral problems and cognitive deficits resulting from even small amounts of prenatal alcohol exposure can be significant and enduring but completely preventable. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a prenatal drinking goal selected during a brief intervention for 115 pregnant women and their partners on subsequent consumption. Higher proportions of women having their first pregnancy chose abstinence as a goal over drinking reduction. Goal selection was highly predictive of subsequent drinking behavior. Interestingly, the participants who were abstinent at enrollment and who chose to remain abstinent had the highest rates of abstinence. In contrast, the women who chose cutting down on drinking were the least likely to drink less subsequently, despite recognizing more situations putting them at risk for drinking and identifying more alternatives to consumption. We conclude that goal choice in behavioral self-management of alcohol use by pregnant women is critical.

Motivation in Mathematics: Goals Reflected in Emotions

Students in a mathematics classroom are motivated to do many things, not only the ones we expect them to do. In order to understand student behaviour in classrooms we need to increase our understanding of what motivation is and how it is regulated. Two issues relevant to a critique of mainstream motivation research need consideration: (a) the importance of the unconscious in motivation and (b) focusing on motivational states and processes rather than traits. In the present paper, motivation is conceptualised as a potential to direct behaviour through the mechanisms that control emotion. As a potential, motivation cannot be directly observed. It is observable only as it manifests itself in affect and cognition, for example as beliefs, values and emotional reactions. This potential is structured through needs and goals. Based on this view of motivation and the author's earlier studies, three aspects of motivation regulation are discussed. Primarily, goals are derived from needs: in learning situations, the psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and social belonging are the most significant determinants of goal choices. As a second aspect, this view accepts the influence of students' beliefs about the accessibility of different goals. As a third aspect, the influence of automatic emotional reactions for goal regulation will be discussed. The case of Frank will be used 1) to illustrate how motivation can be inferred from different kinds of data and 2) as an example of how conflicting goals lead to non-straightforward self-regulation.

The framework underpinning conflicting keys in sustainability: harmony‐in‐transit

PurposeThis paper proposes a conceptual framework underpinning the conflicting key elements in analyzing sustainable development (SD) of real estate property and the environment.Design/methodology/approachThe key elements in the framework are the economic, the socio‐environment, the socio‐economic and the legal systems which represent different competing values.FindingsThe competing values framework encompasses the development of environmental legislation and other governmental policies towards environmental sustainability of construction activities. The competing values which direct policy‐making are modelled as short term (resource exploitation) versus long term (resource sustainability) and flexibility (freedom in land use/development) versus control (planning and building laws). As people attain harmonious outcome (intra‐ and inter‐group) in arriving at consensus and directions towards “SD” they do so as members of a complex social organism that has multiple group memberships, interests and loyalties.Research limitations/implicationsAs loyalties and interests shift, harmony is in transit, and directions of actions and attitudes change as a function of time. The choice of (potentially conflicting) attainable goals towards SD is a consequence of power play amongst stakeholders.Practical implicationsThe paper is important in highlighting the main issues in conceptualizing key conflicting elements in the formulation of policies for SD.Originality/valueA definition of harmony relating to social exchanges and cultural settings with emphasis on dynamic equilibrium is proposed for the formulation of “SD” policies.