Goal Satisfaction Research Articles

When and why consumers prefer human-free behavior tracking products

Despite disliking behavior tracking for marketing, consumers actively adopt technological behavior tracking products. Our research examines the psychological factors driving this adoption and the conditions under which it occurs. We theorize that consumers prefer technological (versus human-based) tracking, because human-free tracking reduces concerns about negative judgment. However, we propose that this preference is weakened, and even reversed, when immediate judgment concerns are less salient than the need for feedback from relevant humans such as when consumers pursue performance (versus personal) goals. Across four preregistered studies (n = 2,601), we found that consumers generally prefer technological (versus human) tracking due to lower negative judgment concerns (Studies 1 and 2A). Consumers’ gender, goal satisfaction, and self-efficacy influenced this effect (Study 2B). However, preference for technological tracking was reversed when consumers pursued performance goals (e.g., training for a public dance competition) versus personal goals (e.g., training to lose weight) (Study 3).

THE ARCTIC: THE STRUGGLE FOR RESOURCES AND INFLUENCE IN THE REGION

Modern climate changes caused by the processes of global warming are clearly reflected in the geopolitical interests of various states of the world in relation to the Arctic region. Accordingly, the relevance of the study of this issue is caused by the formation in the last decade of a number of opportunities that may be open to a state that will establish its influence in the Arctic. This is due to a combination of economic and political advantages expressed in the extraordinary amount of resources that characterize this region, the development of rational sea routes, the satisfaction of commercial goals and even the protection of the sovereignty of coastal countries. Thus, the purpose of the work was to define the Arctic as a political arena, in particular, to reveal the interests and plans of various countries regarding its territory and resources. For this, the research used the method of analysis and synthesis, comparison, deduction, generalization, as well as historical. As a result, it was established that active climatic changes in the world cause the formation and development of new economic opportunities in the Arctic. Accordingly, the role of this region was determined for such countries as Canada, Russia, United States of America, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Finland. It was possible to establish that their interests are to a greater extent caused by the desire to control the operation of the Northern Sea Route. In addition, the work described the advantages of the Arctic region, which describe the priority of establishing control over this territory by the relevant state. In particular, it is beneficial for the development of economic activity, the protection of the territories of coastal countries, it is characterized by a significant number of deposits of natural resources and other minerals, as well as wide transit opportunities. Thus, it was proved that it is appropriate to consider the Arctic as a socio-cultural, ethnic, socio-economic, geopolitical space around the North Pole, the resources of which provoke world states to compete with each other. The practical value of the work is revealed in the possibility of using its results for further scientific research, as well as educational material for those studying the Arctic and its role in international relations.

Daily Dynamics of Awareness of Aging and Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration in Middle and Older Adulthood.

This daily diary study examined associations between awareness of age-related change (AARC) and satisfaction/frustration of basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in a sample of midlife and older adults. We expected that greater satisfaction and lower frustration of needs would be associated with higher AARC-gains and lower AARC-losses. We also examined whether within-person associations of need satisfaction/frustration with AARC were moderated by age. Participants (N = 152; aged 53+) completed measures of AARC and basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration on their smartphones for 10 consecutive days. Data were analyzed using multilevel models, with time-varying basic need satisfaction/frustration variables disaggregated into between-person and within-person components. On days participants reported higher than usual overall satisfaction of needs, and lower than usual frustration of needs, AARC-gains was higher, and AARC-losses was lower. Analysis of individual needs showed that autonomy and competence were more consistently related to higher AARC-gains and lower AARC-losses than relatedness. Within-person autonomy satisfaction was more strongly (negatively) associated with AARC-losses at older ages. Findings suggest that daily experiences related to satisfaction and frustration of goals related to autonomy and competence in particular may be proximal antecedents of short-term variation in AARC.

EXPLORATORY ROLE OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL FACTORS ON PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT AMONG YOUTH

An individual is said to be psychologically empowered when the individual has control and can make his/her own life choices, which is essential in present times. In this context, cognitive flexibility and self-control act as effective tools to regulate one’s urges, be motivated and regulate the available resources in the most effective way, so that the individual can make successful life decisions and achieve the goals, while on other hand perseverative negative thinking hampers an individual’s decision making and goal achievement, which is especially true in current times. Considering this aspect the purpose of the current study was to look at the connection between psychological empowerment, cognitive flexibility, perseverative thinking and self-control and to study the interaction of cognitive flexibility, perseverative thinking, and self-control concerning psychological empowerment in present times. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample. The study sample was university students of upper-middle and higher socioeconomic backgrounds aged between 18 and 25 years, from urban domicile. Product Moment Correlation and Regression analysis was administered to test the hypothesis. The result showed that the dimensions of psychological empowerment were significantly correlated with cognitive flexibility, self-control and perseverance, also the three variables of the study (cognitive flexibility, perseverative thinking, and self-control) significantly contributed variance in predicting psychological empowerment. This research implicates that there are clear potential benefits to delivering effective intervention for youth so that they can be taught ego depletion strategies which in turn leads to long term goal satisfaction.

The Effect of Ironman Taper on Mood and Engagement of Nonprofessional Triathletes: An Interrupted Time Series Study

An Ironman triathlon, which consists of swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and running 26.2 miles, requires extensive training with planned recovery to prevent overtraining. Prior to a race, athletes commonly take a period of time for reduced training, known as a taper. Although much is known about the physical benefits of a taper, little is known about the psychological changes that occur in athletes during taper. This study assessed the mood and athletic engagement (AE) of triathletes during Ironman training, tapering, and post-race, with specific attention paid to these variables during taper. Nineteen participants, who were training for one of three selected late-season Ironman races, were recruited for the study. Data were analyzed for eight participants (five males and three females, Mage data for all time points: training, taper, and post-race. Mood subscales of the Brunel Mood Scale (Terry et al., 1999) and an overall mood scale, as well as the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire (Lonsdale et al., 2007), assessed weekly mood and engagement, respectively. Data were analyzed using time series regression analysis. Results showed no overall trends in change of mood and engagement across the three time points. However, there were significant changes in several variables on an individual level during the taper and post-race period. These individual changes demonstrate that psychological reaction to taper is a personal experience, and factors such as goal orientation, goal satisfaction, social support, competence, and coping strategies can impact the training, tapering, and post-race experience.

The mediating roles of pre-competitive coping and affective states in the relationships between coach-athlete relationship, satisfaction and attainment of achievement goals

ABSTRACT The study is aimed to explore the relationship between coach-athlete relationship, precompetitive coping and affective states, satisfaction and attainment of achievement goals. A sample of 567 French athletes (Mage = 22.10; SD = 5.66; 377 men and 190 women) involved in 75 training groups participated in the study and completed a series of self-report measures in a temporal design with three measure points. Results of multilevel analyses revealed that the coach-athlete dyad (level 2; between-person level of analysis or training groups) and task-oriented coping (level 1; within person level of analysis or individuals) significantly predicted goal attainment (level 1). Moreover, the results of the Sobel test revealed that task-oriented coping (level 1) marginally mediated the relationship between coach-athlete dyad (level 2) and sport satisfaction (level 1). Besides, the coach-athlete dyad (level 1) and Intensity of positive affect (PA) mediated the relationship between coach-athlete dyad and goal attainment. Finally, the coach-athlete dyad (level 1) and Intensity of PA mediated the relationship between coach-athlete dyad and satisfaction (level 1). In conclusion, the display of Coach-Athlete relationship strategies may enhance higher levels of precompetitive task-oriented coping, intensity of PA, goal attainment and satisfaction. Subsequently, coaches and practitioners should focus their training on enhancing coach-athlete relationship as a crucial part of training in order to perform in competitions.

Impact of an augmented intervention on self-regulatory, dietary and physical activity outcomes in a diabetes prevention trial among adults with prediabetes.

Self-regulation can facilitate modifications in lifestyle to promote behavioral change. However, little is known about whether adaptive interventions promote improvement in self-regulatory, dietary, and physical activity outcomes among slow treatment responders. A stratified design with an adaptive intervention for slow responders was implemented and evaluated. Adults ≥ 21years old with prediabetes were stratified to the standard Group Lifestyle Balance intervention (GLB; n = 79) or the adaptive GLB Plus intervention (GLB + ; n = 105) based on first-month treatment response. Intake of total fat was the only study measure that significantly differed between groups at baseline (P = 0.0071). GLB reported greater improvement in self-efficacy for lifestyle behaviors, goal satisfaction with weight loss, and very active minutes of activity than GLB + (all P < 0.01) at 4-months. Both groups reported significant improvement in self-regulatory outcomes and reduction in energy and fat intake (all P < 0.01). An adaptive intervention can improve self-regulation and dietary intake when tailored to early slow treatment responders.

Shared reality, memory goal satisfaction, and psychological well-being during conversational remembering

ABSTRACT Conversational remembering, or sharing autobiographical memories with others, occurs frequently in everyday communication. The current project examined how the experience of shared reality with a conversation partner when describing autobiographical memories to them can operate to enhance the self, social, and directive uses of a recalled memory and explored the role of shared reality experienced as a result of conversational remembering in psychological well-being. In this project, conversational remembering was examined using experimental (Study 1) and daily diary (Study 2) methodologies. Results indicated that experiencing a shared reality during conversational remembering of an autobiographical memory enhanced self, social, and directive memory goal fulfilment and was positively associated with greater psychological well-being. The current investigation highlights important benefits of sharing our life stories with others, especially those with whom we develop a sense of shared reality.

Goal-oriented requirement language model analysis using analytic hierarchy process

We present the application of multi-objective optimisation analytic methodologies to goal models in this research, with the intention of providing various benefits beyond the initial modelling act. Optimisation analysis can be used by modellers to evaluate goal satisfaction, evaluate high-level design alternatives, aid analysts in deciding on high-level requirements and system design, verify the sanity of a model, and improve communication and learning. Goal model analysis may be done in a variety of methods, depending on the nature of the model and the study’s goal. In our work, we use the Goal-Oriented Requirement Language (GRL), which is part of the User Requirements Notation (URN), a new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) recommendation that offers the first standard goal-oriented language. Existing optimisation methods are geared towards maximising objective functions. On the other hand, real-world problems necessitate simultaneous optimisation of both maximising and minimising objective functions. This work explores a GRL model analysis that may accommodate the conflicting goals of various inter-dependent actors in a goal model using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). By evaluating the qualitative or quantitative satisfaction levels of the actors and intentional elements (e.g., objectives and tasks) that make up the model, we construct a multi-objective optimisation method for analysis using the GRL model. The proposed hybrid technique evaluates the contribution of alternatives to the accomplishment of top softgoals. It is then integrated with the top softgoals’ normalised relative priority values. The integration result may be utilised to assess multiple alternatives based on the requirements problem. Although the URN standard does not mandate a specific propagation algorithm, it does outline certain criteria for developing evaluation mechanisms. Case studies were used to assess the viability of the suggested approach in a simulated environment using JAVA Eclipse and IBM Cplex. The findings revealed that the proposed method can be used to analyse goals in goal models with opposing multi-objective functions.

A Survey of Patient Experience in CML: American and Canadian Perspectives.

With treatment, chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has a favorable prognosis, however, individuals with CML experience impairment to their quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to examine the perspectives and experiences of individuals with CML and to understand their challenges communicating with their CML physician. An online survey in adults with CML (n=100) in the US and Canada assessed QoL, patient-provider relationships, treatment satisfaction, and understanding of CML and treatment goals via the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, the Cancer Therapy Satisfaction Questionnaire and de novo survey questions. Participants were recruited via an external patient recruiter and CML Patient Groups. Many participants reported hardships due to CML and its treatment. The main impacts were on the ability to work (21%), engage in personal activities (e.g., hobbies, 28%), and to enjoy sexual relations (median=2.00, IQR=8.50). A substantial proportion (21-39%) wished to discuss additional topics with their providers (e.g., management of CML and/or its impacts). While participants reported satisfaction with therapy overall (median=85.71, IQR=17.86), they indicated low to moderate treatment satisfaction with specific components, including concerns regarding side effects (median=43.75, IQR=43.75). Participants generally had a good understanding of CML (97%) and its treatment goals (92%). These findings advance our understanding of issues that need improvement to support QoL for individuals living with CML. Future work is needed to improve patient-provider relationships, address treatment-related side effects, and provide clinical information that is easier for patients to understand.

Selective Exploration Algorithm for Coalition Formation

Coalition formation with task dependencies has been the focus of few of the literature on multi-agent coalition formation. In contrast, very little attention has been given to the case where each agent has several alternative sets of tasks leading it to its goal satisfaction. The task dependencies impact the feasibility of the coalitions depending on the considered tasks alternative at a given time. Hence, the performance of a single task, whether by coalition formation (group of agents) or by a single performance, could affect the feasibility of other coalitions in the system. However, these task dependencies play a crucial role in many real-world multi-agent applications. Against this background, we consider in this paper multiple self-interested agents each of which has a goal it needs to achieve by performing a set of tasks. Each agent has several alternative sets of tasks leading it to its goal satisfaction. The tasks in an alternative exhibit dependencies and require sequential execution. So, to jointly achieve goals, the agents may form interdependent coalitions. We introduce a new algorithm that we call the Selective Exploration Algorithm (SEA) for coalition formation that accounts for the task dependencies to consider only feasible coalitions and reduce the size of the search space to explore and identify the optimal coalition structure.

Beyond experiential spending: Consumers report higher well-being from purchases that satisfy intrinsic goals.

Consumption is thought to be a goal-directed behaviour often marketed as a source of happiness. However, it has yet to be tested whether we associate greater happiness with purchases that help us move towards our goals-goal satisfaction mechanism-or whether spending behaviours that help us primarily to attain intrinsic goals-such as affiliation or self-growth-are linked to higher well-being as self-determination theory would predict. Across two studies, intrinsic goal satisfaction was associated with greater well-being, rather than the purchase helping the consumer to satisfy their goals. Moreover, intrinsic goal satisfaction predicted significantly more variance in well-being (13%-16%) than the material-experiential purchase typology (2%-5%) used in past research. Finally, higher dispositional extrinsic goals predicted both extrinsic and intrinsic goal satisfaction through consumption suggesting that materialistic individuals might use consumption as a strategy to seek the attainment of intrinsic goals. These findings suggest that future research should shift the focus from the purchase (what is bought) to the consumer (who is spending money and why) when looking at the links between spending money and happiness. Finally, this report hints that future interventions aiming to reduce excessive consumption should explore lessening people's extrinsic goals.

Provider-Perceived Value of Interprofessional Team Meetings as a Core Element of a Lifestyle Medicine Program: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of One Center's Experience.

Interprofessional care improves outcomes for medically complex patients and may be a valuable addition to standard lifestyle medicine practice, but implementation barriers exist. The purpose of this study was to explore the key features, perceived impact, and implementation considerations related to holding interprofessional team meetings as part of an intensive lifestyle medicine program. In this mixed-methods study, focus groups were conducted with 15 lifestyle medicine clinicians from various healthcare disciplines who had participated in interprofessional team meetings. Quantitative descriptive statistics of the meeting minutes were also calculated. Clinician-perceived benefits from participating in interprofessional team meetings included increased acquisition of knowledge, access to other clinicians, collaborative decision-making, patient satisfaction, and achievement of patient-centered goals. Participants described the importance of preparing an agenda for the interprofessional team meetings in advance, but a major implementation challenge was the time required to prepare for and conduct the meetings. Commitment and financial support by organization and program leadership were reported as key facilitators to implementing the meetings. Clinicians perceive significant value from incorporation of interprofessional team meetings into an intensive lifestyle medicine program, but successful implementation of meetings requires investment from all levels within a healthcare system.

Sustainable Design and Management of Industrial Systems—A Human Factors Perspective

The aim of this concept article is to articulate multiple contributions from socio-technical fields into an approach for sustaining human-centred lifecycle management of industrial systems. Widespread digitalization and advanced robotics have fostered interest on innovative human-machine integration and sophisticated organizational transformation that is conducive to meeting the challenges of sustainability. Complementing technology-driven and data-driven approaches to industrial systems development, the human factors approach offers a systems perspective that is at once human-centred while striving for overall system performance, by considering technological and organizational perspectives alike. The paper presents a set of recent human factors developments, selected based on their potential to advance sustainability in industrial systems, including an activity-centred design perspective of industrial systems, and a unified and entangled view on organizational goals yielding a dynamic change approach to socio-technical systems management. Moreover, developments in organizational resilience are coupled with recent breakthrough empirical understanding of conditions conducive to attaining resilience in operations. The cross-pollination of the human factors developments is further pursued, resulting in a proposal of combined key organizational vectors that can mutually leverage and sustain human-centred design and management of industrial systems (production and logistics systems alike) for resilience. Systems thinking encompassing human, organizational and technological perspectives supports integration of insights across entangled domains; this can leverage both system enhancements that promote the satisfaction of dynamic situation-dependent goals, as well as the fulfilment of objectives derived from long-term values of an organization.

Reasoning about Confidence in Goal Satisfaction

Goal models are commonly used requirements engineering artefacts that capture stakeholder requirements and their inter-relationships in a way that supports reasoning about their satisfaction, trade-off analysis, and decision making. However, when there is uncertainty in the data used as evidence to evaluate goal models, it is crucial to understand the confidence or trust level in such evaluations, as uncertainty may increase the risk of making premature or incorrect decisions. Different approaches have been proposed to tackle goal model uncertainty issues and risks. However, none of them considers simple quality measures of collected data as a starting point. In this paper, we propose a Data Quality Tagging and Propagation Mechanism to compute the confidence level of a goal’s satisfaction level based on the quality of input data sources. The paper uses the Goal-oriented Requirement Language (GRL), part of the User Requirements Notation (URN) standard, in examples, with an implementation of the proposed mechanism and a case study conducted in order to demonstrate and assess the approach. The availability of computed confidence levels as an additional piece of information enables decision makers to (i) modulate the satisfaction information returned by goal models and (ii) make better-informed decisions, including looking for higher-quality data when needed.

What Type of Housework Happiness Do You Prefer? Does Gender and Health Matter? A Taiwanese Study.

The purposes of this study was to discover the circumstances in which people gain happiness from performing housework and to understand gender differences in housework-related happiness. We used national data from the Taiwan Social Change Survey conducted in 2011. Only married and cohabiting respondents were included in this study (N = 1250). Two types of housework happiness were developed: the goal satisfaction type (GST) and the activity enjoyment type (AET), based on interview results in pilot studies and the concept of positive psychology. We found that the significant variables on the two types of housework-related happiness for the total sample were gender, socioeconomic status, gender role attitude, decision-making power, relative feminine housework, and respondent’s health. In addition, the effects on the two types of housework-related happiness for males and females are different. Most people derive happiness from housework if their preferences for type of housework and their personal characteristics are matched. It is possible to transform an otherwise monotonous daily activity into a source of happiness through the process of understanding your housework preference type, learning to enjoy the beauty of housework, and creating fun with chores for families. However, the survey (TSCS) used in this study was carried out over 10 years ago (2011) and the results may be somewhat different in Taiwan today.

Effects of the CarFreeMe Traumatic Injuries, a Community Mobility Group Intervention, to Increase Community Participation for People With Traumatic Injuries: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Crossover.

IntroductionAfter traumatic injuries community participation is a common goal, promoting wellbeing and independence. Community mobility and transportation influence an individual's independence in community participation. With the ability to drive safely often compromised after traumatic injuries, the adverse consequences of driving cessation include a loss of identity and reduced participation in chosen activities. In rehabilitation, individualized community mobility intervention is not routinely provided. The primary aim of this trial was to evaluate whether a group-based intervention, the CarFreeMe TI program was more effective than standard intervention, an information sheet of alternative transport, in improving community mobility for people following traumatic injuries. The secondary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect: types of transport used, transport satisfaction, community mobility self-efficacy, quality of life, goal satisfaction and performance, for people following traumatic injuries; and to undertake a preliminary assessment of the potential resource use associated with the intervention, and lessons for implementation.DesignProspective, pilot, randomized, blind observer, controlled trial with crossover.ParticipantsTwenty individuals with traumatic injuries.InterventionSix-week group-based support and education program, the CarFreeMe TI delivered in community settings (intervention) and standard information related to transport options available (control).Primary Outcome MeasuresCommunity participation using a Global Positioning System device to record the location and number of outings from home.Secondary Outcome MeasuresCarFreeMe TI Transport Questionnaire, Community Mobility Self-efficacy Scale, quality of life measures, Modified Canadian Occupational Performance Measure for goals (importance and satisfaction), participant satisfaction survey results and researcher logs.ResultsThose who received the intervention were more likely to use public transport and transport services and had an improved quality of life, when compared to the control group. The intervention group also reported high levels of improvement in goal performance and satisfaction. Global Positioning System data collection was incomplete, with geolocation data unusable. There was no significant change in number/type of visits away from home.ConclusionsA group-based community mobility education program promoted modes of active independent transport but did not impact on outings from home. Future research could include passive collection methods using a smartphone to record community participation.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://www.anzctr.org.au/, identifier: ACTRN12616001254482.

Effectiveness of a co-designed technology package on perceptions of safety in community-dwelling older adults.

Increasing numbers of older people are living longer, often alone, in their own homes. Services and products that enable older people to remain safely in their own homes are required. The My Smart Home project recruited 30 community-dwelling people aged 65+ to co-design a package of technology to address their individual goals for safety and security at home. The technology package, up to the value of $4000, included installation of health monitoring, communication and entertainment devices, and security alarms, with 6hours of technology coaching. Participants completed the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI), the Australian Quality of Life-8 Dimensions (AQoL-8D) and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) at baseline, and after 4 weeks' use of the technology package. Semi-structured interviews were also used to qualitatively understand the challenges, enablers and outcomes of the project with respect to safety and security in the home. Significant improvements in PWI (p< 0.01), AQoL-8D (p< 0.001) and COPM for goal performance (p< 0.001) and goal satisfaction (p< 0.001) were reported. Participants also reported feeling safer and more secure in their own homes. Common barriers to adoption of technology, cost, integration with already-owned technology and lack of confidence were overcome with this technology and coaching package. An individualised package of technology, with coaching, that supports older people to realise their personal goals with technology resulted in improved well-being, quality of life and sense of safety and security in community-dwelling older people. Ultimately, this should support a longer and better quality of life at home.

Benefits of an Intensive Individual CO-OP Intervention in a Group Setting for Children with DCD.

Purpose The present study focused on the impact of an adapted Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) five-day intervention program for children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Important adaptations were the new combination of individual CO-OP sessions and group activities, the short and intensive program that was followed by a training and coaching trajectory, and the use of video logs. Materials and Methods Eighteen children with DCD (aged 8-16 years) participated in the five-day intervention during which they worked on three intervention goals. After the intervention, during an eight-week training and coaching trajectory for parents and children, children worked on a transfer goal. Assessment took place at four moments in time: two pretest measures, a posttest measure, and a 3-month follow-up measure. Primary outcome measures focused on changes in performance and satisfaction of self-chosen intervention and transfer goals. The secondary outcome measure explored changes in children's attitude, motivation, and confidence in relation to motor skill activities, social skills, and level of participation. Results Significant improvements were found with regard to the performance and satisfaction of intervention goals. For the transfer goal, only parents reported significant improvements. Finally, parents indicated potential improvements with regard to the attitude, motivation, and confidence of their children, but not for their social skills or level of participation. Conclusion The findings are promising with regard to the efficacy of this adapted CO-OP intervention for improving intervention goals, but less effective for transfer of learned skills to other goals after the intervention. Future research should focus on how postintervention parental coaching can be improved in order to increase generalization and transfer.

Analyzing generalized planning under nondeterminism

In automated planning, there has been a recent interest in solving a class of problems, where a single solution applies for multiple, possibly infinitely many, instances. This necessitates a generalized notion of plans, such as plans with loops. However, the correctness of such plans is non-trivial to define, making it difficult to provide a clear specification of what we should be looking for. In an influential paper, Levesque proposed a formal specification for analyzing the correctness of such plans. He motivated a logical characterization within the situation calculus that included binary sensing actions. This characterization argued that from each state considered possible initially, the plan should terminate while satisfying the goal. Increasingly, classical plan structures are being applied to stochastic environments such as robotics applications. This raises the question as to what the specification for correctness should look like, since Levesque's account makes the assumption that actions are deterministic.In this work, we aim to generalize Levesque's account to handle actions with nondeterministic outcomes, which may also be accorded probabilities. By appealing to an extension of the situation calculus to handle probabilistic nondeterminism, we will show that Levesque's definition, as well as a notion of goal achievability proposed by Lin and Levesque, have limited appeal under stochastic nondeterminism. In essence, they correspond to one correct execution, which is unlikely to be adequate. Rather, we propose to delineate between goal satisfaction and termination leading to a range of correctness criteria. To better study these criteria, and to position the results in a broader context while still allowing for the generality of the situation calculus, we consider an abstract framework to study the correctness of plans with loops, in domains that are possibly unbounded, and/or stochastic, and/or continuous. Within that framework, we then prove numerous relationships between the criteria, including some impossibility results for categorically satisfying goals. Finally, we show that these notions provide a more granular view than those discussed in the literature, such as strong planning and strong cyclic planning.