Goals

Question 1

What is a goal?

Answer 1

The selection of goals depends on:
- Personal experience
- Physical and mental capacity/ability
- Present cultural norms and values
- Goals are more concrete/specific than needs BUT can be abstract
- e.g., I am tired, I will go to bed early vs. I need to study to be a good student.
- Goals provide direction, mobilise, sustain behaviour.
- Goals will vary in amount of effort required.

Question 2

What are the components of goal setting and goal striving?

Answer 2

• Goal setting
• Formation of a goal intention
• Action planning
• Action initiation and control
• Goal attainment/failure
• Feedback reactions

Question 3

What are the examples that go along with the model of goal setting and goal striving in consumer behaviour?

Answer 3

• Goal setting: What are the goals i can pursue, and why do i want to pursue them. - Desirability of goal alternatives.
• Formation of a goal intention: What is it for which i strive? Feasibility of goal alternatives.
• Action planning: How can i achieve my goal - when, where how?
• Action initiation and control: How well have i enacted my plans? Am i making progress?
• Goal attainment/failure: To what degree have i achieved/failed to achieve my goal?
• Feedback reactions: How do i feel about achieving/not achieving my goal?

Question 4

What is the goal hierarchy?

Answer 4

• Superordinate goals: These are broad, long-term goals that provide overall direction and purpose in life (e.g., achieving happiness, personal fulfillment, or career success).
• Focal goals: Focal goals are specific objectives that are directly related to the superordinate goals. They serve as the main focus of an individual’s efforts and actions. Focal goals are often more measurable and time-bound than superordinate goals.
• Subordinate goals: These are more specific, short-term goals that support the achievement of superordinate goals (e.g., completing a degree, getting a promotion, or developing a new skill).

Question 5

What are the typologies of goals?

Answer 5

Concrete vs. abstract:
- Weight loss of 1 stone over 3 months vs. Start losing weight
- Getting a 1st in every module vs. Being a good student
Promotion-focused vs. prevention focused:
- Achieve positive outcomes (focus on hopes, wants, accomplishments)
- Avoid negative outcomes (focus on responsibilities, safety, avoiding risks)

Question 6

What specifically is the promotion/prevention focus typology of goals?

Answer 6

Prevention Orientation (“Play to not lose”) Seeks ways to stay safe and secure:
- Avoid negative outcomes (focus on
responsibilities, safety, avoiding risks)
- The Body Shop & LUSH Cosmetics (cruelty-free).
- Patagonia (avoids excessive waste and environmentally harmful production practices).
- Thrift clothing stores, such as The Goodwill (sustainability; up-cycling).

Promotion Orientation (“Play to win”) is all about risk and advancement (Khan, 2015):
- Achieve positive outcomes (focus on hopes, wants, accomplishments)
- Axe Body Spray (enhance attractiveness).
- Birchbox (personalised delivery of beauty products).
- Dove (promotes high self-esteem).
- Music festivals and concerts (memory-making experiences)

Question 7

What is an example using goal setting in consumer behaviour interventions?

Answer 7

• Targeted consumer behaviour: behaviour change related to meat consumption (i.e. reduction)
• Meat eating:
• Harmful to human health - greater likelihood of developing diseases such as colorectal, gastric, or pancreatic cancer as well as diabetes, stroke, coronary heart disease, and heart failure.
• A moral issue.
• Impacts negatively on the environment.
• Impacts negatively the welfare of animals.
• Meat-related behaviour change is challenging: habitual, enjoyable and widespread behaviour.

Question 8

What is the study for using goal setting in consumer behaviour
interventions?

Answer 8

Developed a multicomponent intervention to reduce meat consumption among young male adults (20-29 years old).
- Intervention designed as an experiment with a “control group” and an “intervention group”.
- The meat reduction intervention included 5 components:
1. A social norm component – social norms are general standards for behaviours & attitudes within a relevant social group.
2. An informational/educational component (about health benefits) - mainly based on self-determination theory i.e. when provided with a rationale and information for engaging in certain behaviours (or not), people are then more likely to be autonomous and persistent in the display of these behaviours.
3. An appeal to fear - videos created by PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) about the negative treatment of meat-animals.
4. A mind attribution induction - involves attributing human-like states such as feelings, thoughts, and intentions to animals.
5. A goal setting/self-monitoring component - asking participants set a goal for their meat-eating and following up with them about this behaviour via text messaging.

Question 9

What were the findings of the meat study to explore goal setting in consumer behaviour
interventions?

Answer 9

• Measured different types of meat intake (using dietary journals) at baseline (Time 1) as well as 2 (Time 2) and 4 weeks later (Time 3)
  Main results:
• Significant reductions in total and weekend red meat consumption as well as cold cuts consumed at the weekend were observed in the intervention group from T1 to T3 (but not T1 to T2; takes time to break consumer habits!).
• Participants perceived the informational component of the intervention being the most influential for reduction in their meat consumption.
• The results provide support for the effectiveness of the multicomponent intervention.