Week 2: Sheeran, Webb & Gollwitzer (2005) The interplay between goal intentions and implementation intentions

Question 1

In the first study of Sheeran, Webb and Gollwitzer, (2005) participants formed implementation intentions and their goal intentions were measured. What was the outcome of study 1?

Answer 1

There is a significant interaction between intentions to implement and the strength of the goal intentions.

Question 2

What conclusions do Sheeran, Webb and Gollwitzer (2005) draw from their research about goal intentions and implementation intentions?

a. Only when a person has very carefully thought of an implementation intention and when a person has formed an if-then plan, goals can be achieved.
b. The use of if-then plans is over-rated when it comes to helping people meet their goals.
c. The use of implementation intentions is instrumental in helping people meet their goals.
d. When people have intentions to implement a plan, a thoughtful action is needed to achieve their goals.

Answer 2

c.

Question 3

Sheeran, Week and Gollwitzer made a meta-analysis exploring what?

Answer 3

implementation intentions as a strategic form of automated action control beneficial for goal attainment

Question 4

Goal intentions specify…

Answer 4

what one wants to achieve

I want to achieve X

Question 5

Implementation intentions involve specifying the…

Answer 5

behaviour one will perform in light of reaching said goal, considering the situational context one will apply it in

(If Y, then Z)

Question 6

The actual initiation of intended behaviour towards a goal becomes ____ when people form an ____.

Answer 6

automated, implementation intention

Question 7

Forming an implementation intention promotes goal attainment, but why?

Answer 7

because the person is perceptually more ready to encounter the situational cues specified in the components of his or her plan

these cues evoke the specified response in a manner that does not require conscious awareness or effort on his or her part

Question 8

The authors completed three studies (Study 0-2). What did the first study find?

Answer 8

meta-analysis: there is a significant interaction between intentions to implement and the strength of the goal intentions.

Question 9

implementation intention especially benefit behavioural performance when…

however, implementation intentions do not influence participants…

implementation intentions are only beneficial for goal attainment when…

the speed of forming an implementation intention only differs when…

Answer 9

the person has strong goal intentions (moderator)

motivation to do a task

the task-relevant foal intention is activated/initiated

there is time pressure

Question 10

The first study was a meta-analysis. What were the other two?

Answer 10

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