The Motivational Effects of Participation Versus Goal Setting on Performance.

Abstract

A 3 x 2 factorial design was used to examine the motivational effects of participation in decision making (PDM) versus goal setting on performance. Seventy-two college students were randomly assigned to one of six conditions. The task selected for the study was a toy assembly project adapted from a business game used in an assessment center. The motivational effects of PDM were isolated from the cognitive by imposing the ideas generated through PDM on another condition. Assigned/participative goals were set in terms of the number of toys that could be produced within a 20-minute period. Goal difficulty was held constant between the two conditions. The results showed a significant main effect for goal setting only. Both forms of goal setting led to performance that was significantly higher than that which occurred in the do best condition. The interaction effect between goal setting and decision making was not significant. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1982
Accession Number
ADA129368

Entities

People

  • Gary P. Latham
  • Timothy P. Steele

Organizations

  • University of Washington

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Analysis Of Variance
  • Applied Psychology
  • Assembly
  • Experimental Design
  • Human Behavior
  • Job Analysis
  • Management Personnel
  • Manufacturing
  • Military Research
  • Motivation
  • Organizational Structure
  • Performance Appraisals
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychology
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Students
  • Universities

Fields of Study

  • Education

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Brain and Cognitive Science; Experimental Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Team-Based Human-Centered Cognitive Task Decision Making and Information Performance.