Lecture 4: Sacrificial Goals

Question 1

challenges of elite gymnasts

Answer 1

Many young female gymnasts end up socially immune, physically stunted, prone to depression, and suffering from eating disorders

Question 2

Joan Ryan on gymnastics

Answer 2

gymnastics can be fun recreationally but elite gymnastics can become dangerous because it results in too much self-discipline

Question 3

Kerry Strug and the goal medal

Answer 3

While seriously injured and knowing an intensely painful and possibly harmful experience was awaiting her, Strug still had to execute a strenuous and demanding routine with world-class skill

Question 4

transcendence

Answer 4

seeing beyond the immediate stimulus environment by focusing on more long-range goals that are higher in value

Question 5

higher value goals involve:

Answer 5

• Longer time spans
• More extensive networks of meaningful associations
• More distal and abstract goals

Question 6

religion and self-control

Answer 6

Religious practices can help children and adolescents develop more self-control

Question 7

self-regulation of elite gymnastics

Answer 7

• No hanging out
• No TV watching
• No going on dates
• No spontaneous, uncontrolled eating
• No giving in to minor injuries

Question 8

Baumeister’s account of self-control

Answer 8

• Difficulties with self-control either involve under-regulation or misregulation
• But, we can’t over-regulate self-control

Question 9

under-regulation

Answer 9

not having standards, monitoring, or self-regulatory strength

Question 10

what is the most common kind of difficulty people experience with self-control?

Answer 10

Under-regulation

Question 11

misregulation

Answer 11

exerting self-control in a way that fails to bring about the desired results because the efforts are misguided or wasted

Question 12

types of misregulation

Answer 12

• Misunderstood contingencies: When individuals incorrectly perceive or interpret the relationship between their actions and the outcomes they experience. (ex. Unrequited love)
• Trying to control the uncontrollable (ex. Choking in a performance setting)

Question 13

what would Baumeister say about Keri Strug’s self-control?

Answer 13

he would call it ideal self-control

Question 14

the humanistic perspective on self-control

Answer 14

considers whether the pursuit of goal support leads to:
1) Holistic functioning
2) Self-actualization
3) Basic need satisfaction

Question 15

Sheldon 2010 goal pursuit and need satisfaction study

Answer 15

found that goal progress results in enhanced well-being only if goal pursuit is associated with basic need satisfaction (autonomy, relatedness, and competence)

Question 16

circumstance goal

Answer 16

a neutral goal to improve one’s circumstances

Question 17

what would a humanist say about Keri Strug’s self-control?

Answer 17

Kerri Strug’s performance is an example of excessive self-control but she was just doing what she was trained to do

Question 18

retired gymnasts study method

Answer 18

• Structured interviews with 5 elite British women gymnasts
• Mean age= 24
• Competed nationally or internationally
• Retired at 16
• Practice 30 hours per week at their peak

Question 19

retired gymnasts study findings

Answer 19

Found that all of the girls looked back on their gymnastic days with regret and were left feeling lost and helpless when they retired

Question 20

retired gymnasts reported that during their gymnastics career, they:

Answer 20

• Lived for gymnastics
• Were gymnasts vs. people who do gymnastics
• Experienced eternal pressure to strive for perfection
• Were seen as dispensable tools

Question 21

The Story of Shun Fujimoto

Answer 21

• Fujimoto landed the parallel bars with an injured leg, which he ended up breaking
• This is idealized as exercising good self-control

Question 22

Kerri Strug’s autobiography

Answer 22

Sheds light on additional motivations, including her older sister & parental encouragement to relax

Question 23

Holding et al. longitudinal career goals study method

Answer 23

conducted a 6-wave longitudinal study of young adults’ sacrifice of basic needs in pursuit of career goals in 2020

Question 24

Holding et al. longitudinal career goals study variables

Answer 24

• Sacrifices for these goals (maintenance activities, leisure activities, psychological needs)
• Antecedents of sacrifice (motivations for career, motivations for sacrifice)
• Outcomes (goal progress, psychological distress)
• Mediator (frustration over a year)

Question 25

Holding et al. longitudinal career goals study findings

Answer 25

Found that sacrificing psychological needs, but not maintenance or leisure activities resulted in need frustration, and subsequently, an increase in psychological distress and a decrease in career goal progress

Question 26

ego control (Jack Block)

Answer 26

the extent to which impulses and feelings are expressed or suppressed

Question 27

impulsivity vs. impulse control

Answer 27

“We should not favour the replacement of unbridled impulsivity with categorical pervasive and rigid impulse control.”

Question 28

what distinguishes healthy self-control?

Answer 28

The capacity to choose whether and when to persevere, to control oneself, to follow the rules rather than the simple tendency to do these things in every situation

Question 29

the self-control problem of elite gymnasts

Answer 29

focus on self-control sacrifices satisfaction of essential psychological needs

Question 30

goal action plan components

Answer 30

• Focus attention
• Give effort
• Persist