CHapter 6 Target Setting

Question 1

Prevalence of targets

Question 2

Hurdle Bonus

Answer 2

threshold is reached (target or a certain percentage of the target).

Question 3

Ratched effect

Answer 3

• Targets are revised based on past performance.
• Target revisions upwards (downwards) reduce (increase) the likelihood of achieving the revised target.

Question 4

Goal setting theory

Answer 4

• Formulated inductively, largely on the basis of empirical research conducted.
• Goal: object or aim of an action, e.g., to attain a specific standard or proficiency, usually within a specified time limit.

Question 5

Specific (difficult) goals vs. common exhortations (“Work hard! Do your best.”):

Answer 5

Specific difficult goals lead to a higher performance than urging people to do their best.
- Do-your-best-goals have no external benchmark and lead to a wide range of acceptable performance
levels.
- This is not the case when the goal is specified.

Question 6

Goals direct attention and effort towards goal-relevant activities and away from goal-irrelevant activities.

Answer 6

Effort-directing effect.

Question 7

Goals have an energizing function: High goals lead to greater effort than low goals:

Answer 7

• Physical effort.
• Repeated performance of simple cognitive tasks.
• Measurements of subjective effort.
• Physiological indicators of effort.
  Þ Effort-increasing effect.

Question 8

Goals affect persistence: Hard goals prolong the time spent on the task.

Answer 8

Þ Effort-persistence effect.

Question 9

Key categories of factors improving goal commitment:

Answer 9

Factors that make goal attainment important (importance).
- Public commitment
- Vision(leadership)
- Participation
- Rationale

Question 10

Factors that lead people to believe that they can attain the goal (self-efficacy).

Answer 10

• Training
• Communication