On the Role of Goal Orientation Traits and Self-Efficacy in the Goal-Setting Process: Distinctions That Make a Difference

We conducted a field study to investigate how goal orientation traits and two variants of self-efficacy affect the goal-setting process and, in turn, performance. Participants were 255 college students enrolled in psychology or biochemistry courses at a large east-coast university in the People'...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHuman performance Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 354 - 382
Main Authors Fan, Jinyan, Meng, Hui, Billings, Robert S., Litchfield, Robert C., Kaplan, Ira
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Philadelphia Taylor & Francis Group 14.10.2008
Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group
Subjects
College students
Goal setting
Personality traits
Studies
China
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Summary:We conducted a field study to investigate how goal orientation traits and two variants of self-efficacy affect the goal-setting process and, in turn, performance. Participants were 255 college students enrolled in psychology or biochemistry courses at a large east-coast university in the People's Republic of China. Structural equation modeling analyses largely supported the argument that self-efficacy defined as a trait interacts with goal orientation traits, whereas self-efficacy defined as a state mediates the trait effects in the goal-setting process. The specific Trait × Trait interaction form was consistent with Dweck's original goal orientation theory and Brockner's behavior plasticity theory.
ISSN:0895-9285
1532-7043
DOI:10.1080/08959280802347122