Theory building, replication, and behavioral priming: where do we need to go from here?

This article suggests that the field of behavioral priming, which is basically a technique, is in need of theory building. Guidelines from successful theory building by induction in the realm of conscious motivation (namely, goal setting and self-efficacy) are suggested. The process would include replication with variation, identifying the logical relation between a given prime and the action in question, discovering moderators and mediators, and clarifying the relationship between the conscious mind and the subconscious.

Self-reflection, growth goals, and academic outcomes: A qualitative study.

Background: Goal-setting theory continues to be among the most popular and influential theories of motivation and performance, although there have been limited academic applications relative to applications in other domains, such as organizational psychology.

Aims: This paper summarizes existing quantitative research and then employs a qualitative approach to exploring academic growth via an in-depth reflective growth goal-setting methodology.

Sample: The study focuses on 92 UK final-year students enrolled in an elective advanced interpersonal skills and personal development module, with self-reflection and growth goal setting at its core.

It's Time We Brought Introspection Out of the Closet.

I identify the main reasons why introspection unofficially has been banned from the field for some 100 years, though it has been partly smuggled back in through the use of "verbal (self-) reports." I then show why introspection is indispensable to psychology. I argue that this ban has retarded the progress of psychology by taking attention away from the problem of the accuracy of self-reports, limiting our understanding of concepts like emotion, discouraging psychologists from using introspection themselves, and ignoring the study of how to develop introspective skill.

A first examination of the relationships between primed subconscious goals, assigned conscious goals, and task performance.

The authors conducted 2 studies of subconscious goal motivation. First, the authors ran a pilot study to establish the effects of priming of subconscious goals on a performance task frequently used in goal setting research. Second, the authors conducted the main study in which the authors examined the effects of both priming of subconscious goals and assigned conscious goals on the same performance task.

Core self-evaluations and job and life satisfaction: the role of self-concordance and goal attainment.

The present study tested a model explaining how the core self-evaluations (i.e., positive self-regard) concept is linked to job and life satisfaction.

The relationship of entrepreneurial traits, skill, and motivation to subsequent venture growth.

Previous research on entrepreneurship as well as goal, social-cognitive, and leadership theories has guided hypotheses regarding the relationship between entrepreneurial traits and skill (passion, tenacity, and new resource skill) and situationally specific motivation (communicated vision, self-efficacy, and goals) to subsequent venture growth. Data from 229 entrepreneur-chief executive officers and 106 associates in a single industry were obtained in a 6-year longitudinal study. Structural equation modeling revealed a web of relationships that impact venture growth.

Negative self-efficacy and goal effects revisited.

The authors address the verification of the functional properties of self-efficacy beliefs and document how self-efficacy beliefs operate in concert with goal systems within a sociocognitive theory of self-regulation in contrast to the focus of control theory on discrepancy reduction. Social cognitive theory posits proactive discrepancy production by adoption of goal challenges working in concert with reactive discrepancy reduction in realizing them. Converging evidence from diverse methodological and analytic strategies verifies that perceived self-efficacy and personal goals enhance motivation and performance attainments.

Goal-directedness and personal identity as correlates of life outcomes.

Although much research has been conducted on goal setting, researchers have not examined goal-directedness or propensity to set goals as a stable human characteristic in adults. In this study, a survey was developed and distributed to 104 adult participants to assess their goal-directedness, personal identity, and various life outcomes. A theoretical model was developed and tested using structural equation modeling that proposed that both goal-directedness and personal identity should positivcly influence important life outcomes.

Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation. A 35-year odyssey.

The authors summarize 35 years of empirical research on goal-setting theory. They describe the core findings of the theory, the mechanisms by which goals operate, moderators of goal effects, the relation of goals and satisfaction, and the role of goals as mediators of incentives. The external validity and practical significance of goal-setting theory are explained, and new directions in goal-setting research are discussed.