Date of Award

1-1-2011

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Psychology

Program

Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Content Description

1 online resource (vi, 139 pages) : illustrations (some color)

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Kevin J Williams

Committee Members

Michael T Ford, Ron S Friedman

Keywords

goal revision, goals, performance discrepancy, resource allocation, self-efficacy, self-regulation, Self-efficacy, Achievement motivation, Resource allocation, Self-control

Subject Categories

Psychology | Social Psychology

Abstract

The present research proposed that self-regulatory decisions, goal revision and resource allocation are primarily a function of performance discrepancy and self-efficacy. Further, it was proposed that in multiple-goal environments, allocation decisions would be a function of the motivational variables related to concurrent goals. Two studies were conducted, one in the laboratory and the other in a field setting to test hypotheses related to these propositions. Findings from both studies demonstrated that the performance discrepancy X self-efficacy interaction is a key determinant of self-regulatory decisions. In multiple goal environments, relative measures of self-efficacy, performance-discrepancy, and goal commitment were predictive whereas absolute measures were not. Individuals are efficient managers of their goals, and seek to maximize goal achievement and hence self-satisfaction by manipulating their goals and changing their allocation of resources and take into account their progress and self-beliefs in the entire motivational space when making such decisions.

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