Motivating Online Performance The Influences of Goal Setting and Internet Self-Efficacy

• Published in: Social science computer review Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 149 - 160
• Main Authors: Thompson, Lori Foster, Meriac, John P., Cope, John G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thousand Oaks, CA Sage Publications 01.07.2002; Sage; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Goal setting; Internet; Motivation; Performance measures; Search engines; Searches; Searching; Self-efficacy; Selfefficacy; Sociology; Sociology of communication and mass media. Sociolinguistics; Sociology of knowledge and sociology of culture; goal setting; Internet searches; Internet self-efficacy; motivation; online performance; Productivity; Internet; Motivation; Performance; Social Psychology
• ISSN: 0894-4393; 1552-8286
• DOI: 10.1177/089443930202000205

This study investigated the effects of goal setting on Internet searches and examined the relationship between Internet self-efficacy and search task performance. Participants searched the Internet and listed the names of the industrial-organizational psychologists they found. Control participants were instructed to “do their best” to find as many names as possible, and experimental participants were assigned the goal of 70 names. As expected, participants in the goal condition worked longer than did those in the control condition. Furthermore, the data generally supported the hypothesis that individuals with goals would produce more results than their non-goal-directed counterparts. Compared to control participants, however, those with goals did not visit a smaller proportion of non-task-related web sites as predicted. Finally, the anticipated positive correlation was found between Internet self-efficacy and the number of correct search results produced. It is concluded that goal setting may be an effective method for increasing online productivity.