Chapter 8: Goal Setting and Goal Striving

Question 1

What are the three states of the TOTE Model when there is an incongruity between current and ideal state?

Answer 1

Test: Compare present state with Ideal state, if incongruent, then
Operate: Act on environment to realize ideal state. then,
Test Again: Compare present state with Ideal State
if still incongruent then repeat operate state and if congruous then exit the tote model.

Question 2

What is the cognitive mechanism by which plans energize and direct behaviour?

Answer 2

the tote model

Question 3

The PLAN to ACTION sequence consists of four steps

Answer 3

1: detecting present - ideal inconsistencies
2: Generating a plan of action to eliminate the incongruity
3: instigating a plan-regulated behvaiour
4: monitoring feedback as to the extent of any remaining present - ideal incongruity

Question 4

Corrective Motivation activates what?

Answer 4

A decision making process in which the individual considers many different possible ways for reducing the present-ideal incongruity

1: Change the plan
2: Change Behaviour (Ex: Increase effort)
3: Withdraw from the plan altogether

Question 5

Plan-directed behaviour is a ______, ______ process in which corrective motivation energizes the individual to pursue the most adaptive course

Answer 5

Dynamic, Flexible

Question 6

What can people do when they want to increase their motivation?

Answer 6

Create an ideal state in their mind and reflect on the discrepancy that now exists between “what presently is” and “what is desired”

Question 7

What are the two types of discrepancies?

Answer 7

1: Discrepancy Reduction
2: Discrepancy Creation

Question 8

Describe Discrepancy Reduction

Answer 8

asking yourself if you are performing at the desired level within your environment. Based on discrepancy-detecting feedback that underlies plans and corrective motivation

Negative feedback loop: a discrepancy arises, action is taken, and negative feedback (discrepancy getting smaller) terminates the action.

Question 9

Describe Discrepancy Creation

Answer 9

Based on a “feed Forward” system where a person looks forward and sets future, higher goals. They do this deliberately and proactively.

Positive Feedback Loop: a discrepancy is created, action is taken and positive feedback energizes further discrepancy creation.

Question 10

What are the 2 major differences between discrepancy reduction and discrepancy creation?

Answer 10

1: Discrepancy reduction corresponds to plan-based corrective motivation, whereas discrepancy creation corresponds to to goal-setting motivation
2: Discrepancy reduction is reactive, deficiency overcoming, and involves a negative feedback system, whereas discrepancy creation is a proactive growth pursuing, and involves a positive feedback system

Question 11

Is goal setting a discrepancy creating or reduction process?

Answer 11

Creating

Question 12

definition of a goal

Answer 12

a goal is a future focused cognitive representation of a desired end state that guides behaviour

Question 13

What is goal performance discrepancy?

Answer 13

a discrepancy between present level of accomplishment and ideal level of accomplishment

Question 14

What is goal specificity?

Answer 14

How clearly a goal informs the performer precisely what they are to do
give it a numerical or very descriptive value

it also reduced variability in performance

Question 15

What is a self-congruent goal?

Answer 15

a goal that reflects the self’s interests, needs, values, and preferences. These goals feel authentic to the self

intrinsic motivation to complete the goal

Question 16

What is a self-discrepant goal?

Answer 16

Goals that neglect the self interest, needs, values, and preferences and instead reflect only social obligations or external pressures. Feel artificial and in conflict with the self

extrinsic motivation to complete the goal

Question 17

Describe Goal Concordance

Answer 17

These goals are important because they allow the person to tap into and draw from personal resources that energize, direct, and sustain goal pursuit

for a person with a self concordant goal attention, and strategic thinking are easy and happen almost spontaneously (on their own) bc they are supported by autonomous motivation

Question 18

What fuels and sustains greater energy, direction, and persistence of a goal?

Answer 18

personal interest, psychological needs, intrinsic motivation, internalized values, personal preferences, and inner motivational resources

Question 19

What is essential to a goal in order for it to actually improve performance?

Answer 19

goals that are difficult, specific, self congruent will improve performance

Question 20

What is the reasoning behind why specific, self congruent, and difficult goals produce better results?

Answer 20

Difficult goals ENERGIZE the performer (increase the performers effort and persistence)

specific goals DIRECT that energy toward a particular course of action (direct attention and strategic planning)

and concordant goals both energize and direct the performer. (allows performers to draw upon and vitalize inner motivational resources)

Question 21

What are some key points from the college student study done by Koestner and his colleagues?

Answer 21

Participants were asked about their goals for the weekend and then were asked to rate their goals on how self congruent or how self discordant they were, the study showed that goal progress was predicted by how self congruent the goal was.

Question 22

What else besides motivation to goals rely on?

Answer 22

ability, training, coaching, and resources (these contribute to the quality of the performance)

Question 23

What is an essential variable to ensuring goal setting is effective?

Answer 23

Feedback

Question 24

Importance of feedback in goal setting?

Answer 24

goal setting translates into increased performance only in the context of timely feedback that documents the performer’s progress is relation to the goal

without feedback, performance can be emotionally unimportant and un-involving

Question 25

Both satisfaction and dissatisfaction have constructive motivational properties. Felt satisfaction contributes favourably to the ____________ process.

Answer 25

Discrepancy-creating

Question 26

Dissatisfaction contributes to the _________ Process.

Answer 26

Discrepancy-reducing

Question 27

Where do goals originate from?

Answer 27

sometimes Other-assigned goals (goals that other people set for you)

mostly: own way of thinking, personality trait, biological need, psychological need, or attractive role model

Question 28

What should visualizing focus on in order to be a successful part of goal attainment?

Answer 28

it should focus on how to achieve the goal instead of just picturing yourself in the end state. it needs to focus on planning and problem solving (goal striving)

Question 29

What is “outcome simulation” vs “process simulation”

Answer 29

Outcome simulation is simply picturing yourself at the end state that you are going for, picturing yourself getting your exam back with the mark you wanted on it

while Process Simulation is picturing how you are going to get to this desired end state, all the things you will need to do to achieve this goal and picture yourself doing those things and knowing what to do if something in the achievement process changes.

Question 30

what is a goal without a plan?

Answer 30

just a dream

people too often fail to act on their goals and thus don’t accomplish their goals

Question 31

What is an implementation intention?

Answer 31

an “if-then” plan that specifies in advance the goal-striving process

involves deciding in advance of the goal striving, the “when, where, and how” of the goal achieving process.

Question 32

What are the 3 self regulation problems?

Answer 32

1: getting started
2: Staying on Track
3: Resuming