Pursuit Of Personal Goals Research Articles

The moderation of culture dimensions on the relationships between expectancy-value factors and reading achievement

The expectancy-value theory (EVT) explains the relationship between reading achievement and expectancy-value factors (i.e., self-concept and task value). As an extension of EVT, the situated expectancy-value theory (SEVT) emphasizes the influence of situational context. Adopting a multi-level modeling approach and drawing on Hofstede's (2011) Cultural Dimensions Theory, we investigated the relationship between SEVT factors (i.e., reading enjoyment and self-concept) and reading achievement using the PISA 2018 dataset. We focused on the moderation effects of six cultural dimensions (e.g., collectivism-individualism) on the relationship between reading enjoyment, self-concept, and reading achievement, along with socioeconomics factors (i.e., country income inequality, country affluence) as country-level covariates. Our findings confirm that (1) there is a positive relationship between the expectancy-value factors and reading achievement and (2) reading self-concept but not enjoyment is a stronger predictor of reading achievement in countries that highly value individualism, egalitarianism, and short-term orientation. Besides, reading enjoyment is more strongly linked to reading achievement in wealthy countries. Educational relevance statementThe findings of this study have important implications for teaching and educational policy-making. Since self-concept and enjoyment strongly correlate with reading achievement, the intervention in students' reading enjoyment and self-concept should be an important consideration in reading classes. In addition, the strength of the association between expectancy-value factors and reading achievement depends on the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics. While it is difficult to change a country's cultural norms and socioeconomic situation fundamentally, reforms can be made to create a school and family environment that affords the motivation “seeds” to grow. Particularly, policymakers need to consider how to promote egalitarianism, respect personal goal pursuit and autonomy, emphasize both long-term and short-term goals during teaching and learning. Finally, in developing countries, boosting education investment can provide additional resources to foster the literacy development of students with a passion for reading, ultimately enhancing their reading achievement.

Healthy lifestyle of Ukrainians during war: primary analysis of survey data

Purpose. In wartime, individual behavior significantly affects the health status of citizens, as the basic conditions of health are constantly under attack, and the usual way of life is under the destructive influence of various traumatic factors. Understanding the factors, conditions, and trends in promoting a healthy lifestyle (HLS) in wartime realities requires empirical research. The purpose of the article is to conduct a frequency analysis of the data from the survey “Healthy Lifestyle of Ukrainians during War” to incorporate them into the HLS promoting strategies. Methods. Data collection (end of 2023—beginning of 2024) was conducted through surveys (random and panel online samples) containing seven blocks and using Google Forms; 6042 cases were included in the analysis. Results. 1) Sociodemographic characteristics of the sample: men predominate (60%); average age – 38 years; education – mostly higher education (almost 50%) and variations of secondary (40%); professional occupation – most in the field of civil security (44,6%) and social and behavioral sciences (17,9%); geography – predominantly regions in Ukraine distant from the frontline (57,6%) and near-frontline areas (20%); family status – majority lives in families (62%), and alone – 13,2%; monthly income is predominantly low (60%) and average (31,3%); time of taking the survey due to massive missile attacks on Ukraine – mostly during attack-free days (77,5%). 2) Features of HLS: leading health preservation factors – lifestyle (99,8%) and social environment (95,5%); over 50% of respondents currently adhere to HLS; the greatest difficulties in maintaining HLS – during anxiety period, from February to May 2022 (47,7%); almost 40% of respondents understand HLS as both harmful habit cessation, existing beneficial habits adhering, and forming of new ones, while another 28,3% prioritize only harmful habits cessation; leading incentives for HLS adherence – signs of health deteriorating (38,3%), pursuit of personal goals (34.1%), awareness on the destructive impact of chronic stress (31,4%); leading barriers – lack of material resources (46,9%), unfavorable emotional state (26%), and adverse environmental conditions (24,8%); the most challenging aspects of HLS adherence – work-rest regimen (35,1%), rational nutrition (31,1%), physical activity (21,5%). 3) Leading health maintenance (care) practices: making plans, setting goals (80,4%); adhering to a regular work schedule (77%); independent search for information on overcoming psychological difficulties (68,8%); trustful communication with close surroundings (64,5%); attention to hygiene and appearance (61,4%); contributing money to volunteer fundraising (57,9%); keeping informed of news from close circles (56%) and moderate use of expert sources (49,8%); watching movies /series (53,3%) and taking walks (43,3%); prayer (37,4%); awareness on playback theatre (19,6%). 4) Digital well-being: manifested at a moderate level, digital engagement overall fosters positive communication and accompanies respondents’ pursuit of personal goals. 5) Attitudes toward uncertainty: women, those with experience of past failures, and those requiring social support are more sensitive to uncertain conditions. 6) Existential motivations: most realized ones – the ability to value moments of life, respect oneself, and orientation toward the future, yet anxiety, stress, and exhaustion are still the case. 7) Experience related to full-scale invasion: forced displacement (25%); psychological (33,4%), human (death, missing persons) (27,6%), material, financial (27%) losses; law enforcement activity (21,6%); changes in life priorities (71,2%), awareness on the ability to cope independently with life difficulties (58,5%). Conclusions. The results require further processing and will be used to develop HLS promotion strategies in various settings and population categories.

Examining Sociocultural Dimensions of Metropolitan Youth Culture in Chetan Bhagat’s Five Point Someone

This paper delves into the sociocultural landscape portrayed in Chetan Bhagat’s novel Five Point Someone to provide insights into the youth culture of metropolitan India. The narrative explores the lives of three protagonists as they navigate the demanding academic environment of an elite engineering institute in Delhi. Through a sociocultural lens, we examine how these characters grapple with societal expectations, peer pressure, and the impact of a rigid educational system on their identities and aspirations. The analysis focuses on key themes such as identity formation, rebellion against tradition, and the clash between individual desires and societal norms. We also investigate the characters' responses to familial pressures, the pursuit of personal goals, and the challenges they face while striving for academic success. This examination of Five Point Someone offers a deeper understanding of the sociocultural dynamics that shape the lives of metropolitan youth in contemporary India. By shedding light on the complexities of their experiences, we contribute to a broader conversation about the evolving youth culture in urban settings.

SEXUAL DECEPTION USED BY INDIVIDUALS TO INITIATE SEXUAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THEIR CURRENT OR POTENTIAL PARTNER

Sexual deception, the deliberate manipulation of information regarding one’s sexual identity, preferences, and intentions, is a complex phenomenon prevalent in intimate relationships. This research aims to delve into the intricate dynamics of sexual deceit, exploring the connection between male and female perspectives in sexual relationships. The study delves into the reasons behind sexual deception, examining why males are perceived as more manipulative compared to females and how gender influences deceptive practices in sexual contexts. The paper posits that individuals utilize deceptive tactics, including sexual deception, to enhance intimacy in relationships, driven by desires for gratification, fear of rejection, and the pursuit of personal goals. Utilizing the Sexual Deception Scale developed by Marelich et al. (2008), the research uncovers insights into the different dimensions of sexual deception, including blatant lying, self-serving tactics, and avoiding confrontation. Physical beauty plays a major role in sexual deception. Lack of sex in life can cause problems like isolation, self- doubt and trust. Through a comprehensive analysis of the scale’s subscales and total scores, the study sheds light on the prevalence of deceptive practices in intimate relationships and the gender disparities in manipulative behaviors.

Features of Pathogenic Beliefs in the Context of Childhood Maltreatment: Implications for Therapeutic Empathy

ABSTRACT One reason why patients may seek therapy is to address constricting beliefs about themselves, others and the world that diminish the quality of their lives. These pathogenic beliefs interfere with the pursuit of personal goals and are often the source of considerable distress. In this paper, we discuss the perspective from Control-Mastery Theory that such beliefs were once adaptive in the context of earlier traumatic relational experience, and are often held in place by loyalties and attachment ties to important figures. Therapists can facilitate patients’ efforts to disconfirm these beliefs by empathically understanding the form and function of the patient’s pathogenic beliefs historically and in the present. Such understanding is termed “person empathy” and is found to contribute to positive therapeutic outcomes. With the aim of helping to facilitate therapists’ empathy regarding patients’ pathogenic beliefs, we describe in this paper some of the original functions and subsequent consequences of such beliefs in patients’ lives.

Mastery-approach and performance-approach goals predict distinct outcomes during personal academic goal pursuit.

Mastery and performance goals are typically measured as trait-like abstract goals. However, in their daily academic pursuits, students pursue more concrete goals. The pursuit of these goals is replete with obstacles that can lead to an action crisis. We examined how mastery and performance goals affect progress, effort and well-being during academic goal pursuit. We also asked whether these goals moderated relations between an action crisis and goal pursuit. 154 Israeli students (average age = 23.59 years, SD = 2.17; 62% female) preparing for an exam. In this daily diary study, participants first reported the date of their most stressful exam, two related goals, and their trait-like achievement goals (mastery, performance). They then completed daily questionnaires assessing their progress, effort, well-being and action crisis on the 10 days leading up to the exam. Multilevel modelling showed mastery goals positively predicted daily goal effort and progress and negatively predicted daily action crises, while performance goals positively predicted daily negative affect and action crises. An action crisis was negatively correlated with next-day goal progress and positive affect among students with high-performance goals. In students with low-performance goals, an action crisis positively predicted next-day positive affect. Finally, for students high on mastery goals, an action crisis was unrelated to negative affect on the same day. Different trait-like achievement goals can be mapped onto a common personal goal and affect its pursuit differently. Mastery goals predict optimal goal pursuit, and performance goals are associated with non-optimal goal pursuit.

What constitutes successful goal pursuit? Exploring the relation between subjective and objective measures of goal progress

Despite a rich literature on goals, the notion of successful goal pursuit remains somewhat unclear. Most research on personal goal pursuit relies on subjective measures of goal progress and research that uses objective measures (e.g., grade point average) often ignores individuals’ idiosyncratic goals. The present research investigated the relation between diverse measures of goal progress in the context of academic and weight loss goals using four datasets (total sample = 351). Overall, subjective measures were positively related to objective measures. The magnitudes of these associations varied across studies and were generally smaller than would be expected if the measures assessed the same construct (R² = .05–.39). These findings suggest that subjective and objective measures may reflect related but distinct constructs. The present research draws attention to an important topic in the goals literature and highlights the need for additional research on the conceptualization and operationalization of successful goal pursuit.

Goal disruption during COVID‐19: Reimagining goals during a global pandemic

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic has been a major source of professional and personal disruption and has had both direct and downstream consequences on almost every aspect of peoples' lives, including their personal goal pursuits. In the face of unexpected hardships and obstacles, people have had to find new paths to goal achievement. In the present work, we examined whether difficulty adjusting goal pursuit during the global disruption of the COVID‐19 pandemic is related to negative affective, cognitive, and behavioral goal‐related outcomes. Across two studies, we found that people who had more difficulty adjusting their goal pursuit during the pandemic experienced more negative feelings toward their goals, were less satisfied with the status of their goals, and were less likely to actually achieve their goals. Moreover, individual differences in planning tendencies, need for predictability, general adaptability, and perceived pandemic disruption were related to more difficulty adjusting goal pursuit. This work demonstrates the importance of flexibility in the face of setbacks and obstacles, especially during times of disruption and uncertainty.

Dynamic Patterns of Personality States, Affect and Goal Pursuit Before and During an Exercise Intervention: A Series of N-of-1 Trials Combined with Ecological Momentary Assessments

Prior studies have failed to identify the dynamics between the momentary manifestation of personality traits (namely personality states) and cognitive-affective mechanisms in relation to physical activity. The current study modelized the temporal associations between daily personality states, affect (valence) and pursuit of personal goals before and during a physical exercise intervention. Single cases using an A (10 days) -B (42 days) design paired with ecological momentary assessments was used in 10 inactive adults. Idiographic network analyses and generalized additive models were performed. The magnitude of the association between personality states, affect and pursuit of personal goals were modified during the intervention. Their respective weight of the variables in the networks during the exercise intervention followed an individual pattern. The intervention was associated with a systematic change in levels of pursuit of personal goals, with seven participants showing a non-linear association. The complexity of individual networks before and during the intervention stresses the importance of an idiographic level of analysis, especially in the context of an exercise intervention. Highlights:Idiographic levels of association between personality states, affect and pursuit of personal goals can be modified during a physical exercise intervention.The respective weight of personality states, affect and pursuit of personal goals in the idiographic networks during the exercise intervention follows an individual pattern.The physical activity intervention is associated with a systematic non-linear change in the level of goal facilitation and goal conflict.

Motivational factors and experiences of swimmers in the Lake Balaton crossing

This research paper examines the motivational factors and experiences of swimmers participating in the Lake Balaton Crossing, a 5.2 km open water event held annually in Hungary. The study aims to understand why swimmers persistently engage in this recreational sporting activity over time. A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted, targeting swimmers who had completed the Lake Balaton Crossing at least five times. The questionnaire collected information on participants’ demographics and explored their motivations for returning to the event. Content analysis was used to analyze the data collected from 398 participants. The results revealed several common motivating factors, including the desire for challenge and competition, the pursuit of personal goals, the experience of flow, the pleasure and relaxation derived from swimming, the sense of belonging to a community, and the positive impact of swimming on health and well-being. These findings align with previous research and highlight the importance of adventure, personal growth, and community in motivating swimmers to participate in the Lake Balaton Crossing. Understanding these motivations can inform event organizers and contribute to strategies that enhance participation and engagement in recreational sporting events.

The interactive relationship between implicit cognition and goal pursuit

The traditional view of goal is that goals are set and pursued in a deliberate and controlled way, yet in the last two decades, researchers have focused on the implicit cognitive process involved in personal goal pursuit. This article presents contemporary work on this topic and shows a holistic picture of the relationship between implicit cognition and goal pursuit. Research shows that implicit cognition plays a critical role in the process of goal pursuit including the initial activation, the action during, and the eventual outcome. The manner in which implicit cognition influences goal pursuit is interactive and creates either a positive or negative feedback loop. Factors include the implicit need of achievements, implicit evaluation of goal-relevant experience and implicit thoughts promoted by the goal all contribute to the feedback loop. Certain components of implicit cognition are also predictive of goal attainment, such as the implicit importance of means towards achievement. The enriched existing data and findings on the topic offer valuable insights and lay a solid foundation for future research.

Physical education teachers’ perceptions and operationalisations of personal and social development goals in primary education

Personal and social development constitutes an important goal of physical education (PE) curricula worldwide. Few studies have analysed how PE teachers perceive and operationalise personal and social development goals in their lessons. This study sought to investigate the implemented curriculum of in-service PE teachers, that is, how PE teachers perceive and operationalise personal and social development goals. In sum, 12 experienced primary school PE teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Deductive-inductive content analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings are discussed under three themes. The first theme, goal versus means, relates to personal and social development as a goal in itself or as a means to achieve other goals. This duality is discussed in relation with how teachers organise their lessons, the tasks and activities they provide, and how they divide children into groups. The second theme, the teacher's role versus children's role, relates to the struggle PE teachers face with delegating responsibilities to children. Under the third theme, (lack of) curriculum line, we discuss the structure or curriculum line that is missing in the pursuit of personal and social development goals. Future research and practice should devote time and effort to training PE teachers to realise personal and social development goals in a more structured and systematic way.

How self-awareness is connected to less experience of action crises in personal goal pursuit

In this research, we applied a differential perspective to the study of action crises, i.e., being in an intra-psychic decisional conflict whether to pursue or abandon a goal once difficulties in its pursuit arise. In two studies, we investigated the role of individuals’ levels of self-awareness when experiencing such action crises. Both among professional ballet dancers (daily diary, Study 1) and university undergraduates (preregistered experience sampling, Study 2), individuals with greater levels of (dispositional and situational) self-awareness showed an adaptive, that is, problem-solving oriented way of dealing with difficulties in the pursuit of their (training or study) goals. As a consequence, self-awareness contributed to less experience of action crisis during goal pursuit and, as a result, led to better goal performance.

Physiological bases of secure base support provision in a longitudinal study of married older adult couples.

Close others often serve as a source of support for our pursuit of personal goals. Although social psychological research indicates that individuals and relationships benefit when couple members provide each other with secure base support for personal goals, few studies have investigated the physiological bases of these types of support interactions. This study of married older adults examined support providers' cardiovascular challenge‐threat responses while they engaged in a laboratory social interaction about the most important goal that their partner (the target) wanted to make progress toward during the next year. Consistent with our hypothesis, support providers' cardiovascular challenge responses were positively associated with targets' ratings of their secure base support provision during the discussion. This study also used structural equation modeling to test a theoretical model of support providers' cardiovascular challenge responses as a physiological basis of secure base support provision that promotes targets' goal progress and thriving over time. Consistent with our theory, support providers' cardiovascular challenge responses were positively associated with targets' goal progress at Year 2 follow‐up. In turn, targets' goal progress at Year 2 predicted increases in targets' overall thriving from Year 1 to Year 3. This investigation provides novel evidence for attachment theory's assertion that biobehavioral caregiving system activation facilitates the provision of secure base support that promotes close others' goal progress and thriving over time. Results of this study also contribute to recent evidence that cardiovascular challenge responses are associated with social behaviors during dyadic interactions.

The Case for Social Support as Social Assistance: When Social Means to Personal Goal Pursuit Enhance Agency

The Case for Social Support as Social Assistance: When Social Means to Personal Goal Pursuit Enhance Agency

Does Personal Goal Pursuit Alleviate Family Caregiver Stress?

Family caregivers may experience reduced stress by maintaining their sense of self throughout their time in a caregiving role. Working towards personal goals is helpful for maintaining a sense of self, but pursuing one’s own goals amidst caregiving responsibilities may be challenging. In this study, we analyze the processes by which caregivers pursue their own personal goals – and how those processes impact daily stress – in an effort to develop a deeper understanding of goal-pursuit as a potential caregiver stress-reducing strategy. We utilized daily data from spousal (N=256 days) and adult-child (N=400 days) caregivers who participated in the PULSE (Personal Understandings of Life and Social Experiences) Project, a 100-day microlongitudinal study on goal pursuit amongst people 50 and older (Hooker et al., 2013). In daily surveys, caregivers reported progress made towards a personally-identified health and social goal, along with a 4-item measure of daily stress. We ran multi-level models to assess how daily goal progress was associated with same-day stress. Spousal caregivers’ daily stress was lower on days when their health goal (Estimate = -1.07, SE = 0.20, p<.0001) and social goal (Estimate = -0.97, SE = 0.15, p<.0001) progress was higher. Similarly, adult-child caregivers’ daily stress was lower on days when their health goal (Estimate = -0.67, SE = 0.19, p<.001) and social goal (Estimate = -0.52, SE 0.24, p=0.03) progress was higher. Results support the hypothesis that maintaining personally-meaningful goals can alleviate caregiver stress, and is a promising tool for caregiver health promotion.

The Role of Self-Awareness and Problem-Solving Orientation for the Instrumentality of Goal-Related Means

Abstract. Successful goal striving hinges on the selection of instrumental means. The current research investigates individual differences in self-awareness as a predictor for means instrumentality. This effect should be mediated by the tendency of self-aware individuals to approach the process of goal pursuit in a way that is problem-solving-oriented. Four studies ( N1a = 123, N1b = 169, N2 = 353, N3 = 118) were conducted to explore the positive relation between self-awareness and means instrumentality via heightened levels of problem-solving orientation. Studies 1a and 1b found cross-sectional support for the relation between dispositional self-awareness and problem-solving orientation. Study 2 (preregistered) replicated this finding and provided experimental evidence for the hypothesized mediation model. Finally, Study 3 found longitudinal support that dispositional self-awareness and problem-solving orientation predict self-reported means instrumentality and, beyond this, participants’ objective exam grades. This research emphasizes the crucial role of individual differences in self-awareness for an important self-regulatory process, that is, the selection of instrumental means in personal goal pursuit.

Persistence and Disengagement in Personal Goal Pursuit

Persistence in and timely disengagement from personal goals are core components of successful self-regulation and therefore relevant to well-being and performance. In the history of motivation psychology, there has been a clear emphasis on persistence. Only recently have researchers become interested in goal disengagement, as mirrored by the amount of pertinent research. In this review, we present an overview of the most influential motivational theories on persistence and disengagement that address situational and personal determinants, cognitive and affective mechanisms, and consequences for well-being, health, and performance. Some of these theories use a general approach, whereas others focus on individual differences. The theories presented incorporate classical expectancy-value constructs as well as contemporary volitional concepts of self-regulation. Many of the theoretical approaches have spread to applied fields (e.g., education, work, health). Despite numerous important insights into persistence and disengagement, we also identify several unresolved research questions.

Goal completion moderates the association between immoral behavior and self-perceived authenticity

ABSTRACT Individuals may engage in immoral behavior to achieve the ends they desire. Two studies (total N = 1257) investigated whether the impact of such goal-directed immoral behavior on self-perceived authenticity would vary according to different goal states. Study 1 employed an experimental task whereas Study 2 surveyed participants on their personal goal pursuit. In both studies, we found that the association between immoral behavior and self-perceived authenticity was stronger after than prior to goal completion. Our findings corroborate the goal competition perspective on authenticity, and suggest avenues for future research on state authenticity and the dynamic consequences of immoral behavior.

Navigating the ups and downs: Peer and family autonomy support during personal goals and crises on identity development

ABSTRACT Forming an identity is a critical developmental task that is affected by important people in an individual’s social environment, such as friends and family members. This investigation compared whether autonomy support from different sources (family/peer) given in distinct contexts (personal goals/crises) was associated with identity exploration and commitment in university students over an 8-month academic year. The study used a five-wave prospective longitudinal design with identity measured at baseline and termination. Participants were asked to name two individuals who supported them during personal goal pursuits and two who supported them during times of crisis. Supporters were sorted into convoys of family and peers. Results showed that perceiving autonomy support during crises from both sources was associated with an increase in identity exploration, suggesting that family members and peers may play an important role during crises and in promoting identity exploration. By contrast, only family autonomy support for goals was related to greater identity commitment, suggesting that perceiving autonomy support from family in distinct circumstances may encourage different aspects of identity development. Basic need satisfaction mediated the relation between family autonomy support for goals and identity commitment and between family (but not peer) autonomy support during crises and identity exploration.