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Imposing personalities. Lecture contents. Subjective Expected Utility Goal theory Self-discrepancy theory The origin and development of goals Personal strivings. Subjective Expected Utility (SEU). Edward Tolman Impressed with “persistence until” nature of action.
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Lecture contents • Subjective Expected Utility • Goal theory • Self-discrepancy theory • The origin and development of goals • Personal strivings
Subjective Expected Utility (SEU) • Edward Tolman • Impressed with “persistence until” nature of action. • Suggestive of expectancies that persistence will lead to valuedoutcomes. • Julian Rotter • Behaviour potential (likelihood of performance) is a function of (subjective) expectancy (expected consequences) and (subjective) reinforcement value (of those consequences). • Consequence probability and value to be calculated for each possible behaviour. • Most research looks at choice among a limited number of action options.
Goal theory • 1. Goals and plans • Goals: persistent, valued, possible, necessary • Plans: instrumental, contingent • 2. The A(?)BC of goal-motivated behaviour • Cognitive representation of plans and goals, plus • Expectation that goal attainment will be valuable • Expectation is a cognition. • (Rewarding/valuable) Goal necessarily affective? • Affect necessary as a cause of ertia? • Behaviour potential. • 3. Goals occur in systems
Means and Ends • Pham & Taylor (1999) • Mental simulation of ‘good process,’ ‘good outcome,’ both, or neither. • Including ‘process’ improved hours studying and studying intention-behaviour deficit. • Sole outcome focus worsened exam score. • Important jargon • Multidetermination • Goals interact to produce single outcomes. • Equipotentiality • The same goal may be satisfied in various ways. • Equifinality • Different goals can be satisfied by the same outcome.
Motivation from goals and progress evaluationBandura & Cervone (1983)
Motivation from dissatisfaction and efficacyBandura & Cervone (1983)
Where do goals come from? • Hedonism • Classical and operant conditioning • Functional autonomy • Choice
Emmon’s personal strivings • Form coherent patterns of goals. • Goals may be domain-specific, e.g., pleasant in social interactions. • Striving (clusters) and their expression is idiographic. • Some striving content is nomothetic. • E.g., Achievement, autonomy, affiliation.
Assessment of personal strivings • Open-ended self-report of goals and execution attempts. • Rate top 15 strivings on various dimensions, e.g., valence. • Factor analysis of dimension scores: • Degree of striving (e.g., value, importance, commitment) • Ease (e.g., opportunity, difficulty) • Success (e.g., past attainment, probability of success) • Pairwise comparison ofstrivings’ compatibility.
Personal striving and SWB (Emmons, 1986) • Positive affect from… • Actual achievement of valued goals. • Continued progress towards valued goals. • Negative affect from… • Conflict (co-present but oppositely valenced goals). • Ambivalence (success is a mixed belssing). • Anticipated failure. • Life satisfaction from… • Anticipated success. • Having important goals. • Having goals that facilitate affiliation.
What will satisfy you?McGregor & Little (1998) • Happiness (affect) - From efficacy • ‘usually exuberant and enthusiastic’ • ‘life to me seems always exciting’ • ‘every day is constantly new and different’ • ‘life is full of exciting good things’ • ‘am achieving life goals’ • Meaning (Life satisfaction) - From integrity • ‘have very clear goals and aims in life’ • ‘clear goals and a satisfying life purpose’ • ‘find meaning, purpose, and mission in life’