Goals setting behaviour
Aim: to study the relationship between the goal setting behaviour and the level of
achievement of the subject
Materials required
1. Data sheet consisting of a coding test of the number of its letter combinations (coding
sheet with letter and digits)
2. Stopwatch
3. Writing materials
Hypothesis
1. Setting goal enhances performance
2. The type of goal setting behaviour is alternative to the level of goal set (confident,
efficient and realistic goal setting behaviour)
Variable
Independent variable
o Level of aspiration or goal set by the subject
Dependent variable
o Level of achievement
Moderating variable
o Motivation, interest, mental and physical condition
Plan
Test to be conducted in two series
I -Series: To assess the base line performance
II -Series: the level of performance with a goal set
Procedure
Series I: Baseline performance
Ensure the participant is comfortably seated. Provide them with the data sheet and deliver the
following instructions: 'You will see rows of numbers on this sheet, with a key at the top
showing number-letter combinations. Carefully match the numbers to the corresponding
letters in the key and write them down as quickly and accurately as possible, working
horizontally. Begin when I say 'ready' and stop after 30 seconds when I say 'stop.' Afterward,
calculate the average number of correct number-letter combinations. This will establish your
baseline performance
Series II with goal set
The same procedure as above is followed. Participants are instructed to write down the
quantity of letter combinations they created during each 30-second trial. This must be
repeated for five trials. After each trial, participants also recorded their perceived level of
achievement
Controls
1. Clear instructions along with suitable examples must be given
2. Avoid pre-exposure to materials or data sheets
3. Maintain accurate time for all the trials (30 seconds)
4. Set the goal by writing it down before every trial
5. Only correct number letters combination is to be calculated.
Analysis of results
1. The number of problems correctly done in each trial is noted down
2. The number of correct answer in the three trials are noted by the average is calculated
as the baseline
3. Calculate the difference between goal set and achievement
4. The difference between the previous trial achievement and present goal set are noted
under goal
Discussion
Humans can motivate behaviour in four ways
1. Direct attention
2. Mobilized efforts to the task
3. Resistance
4. Facilitate development of strategies
Motivation is the set of forces that cause people to engage in one behaviour rather than some
alternatives behaviour. A motive is a usage from within which sets the organism into action in
a definite behaviour is always in direction
Motivated behaviour is always goal-directed. Goal setting behaviour can be classified into
three types
1. Confident goal setting: when the goal set (aspiration) is higher than achievement
2. Different goal setting: when the goal set is lower than achievement
3. realistic goal setting: when the goal set is (aspiration) is equal to achievement
Goal represents the decision one makes and the commitment to reach the decision of the set
goal. Goals enables one to achieve at it motivate the person into action. Goals when properly
conceived and pressured can help on individual to maximize the performance. These are
various types of goals setting behaviour determined by whether the goals set are higher
(confident goal setter) than what is previously achieved lower (different goal setter) or to
practical setting the same goal (realistic goal setter)
Table 1 shows the subject _____ base line average performance under neutral
conditions and achieved performance with goal.
Performance without goal Performance with goal
Trial 1 2 3 Total Mean Average difference
Units 16 16 15 47 15.6 17 +2.6
Individual discussion
Table 1 demonstrates the participant's baseline average performance under neutral conditions,
with a mean of 15.6. Following goal setting, the average performance increased to 17,
representing a gain of 2.6 units. This supports Hypothesis 1, which posits that goal setting
enhances performance.
Table 2 examines the type of goals set by the subject. The subject's average achievement was
17, while their average goal was 19.6, resulting in a 2.6-unit discrepancy. This indicates an
optimistic and confident goal-setting behavior. The table's last column further confirms this,
showing the subject set 5 positive goals.
Table 2 showing the goal achievement difference and the type of goal set by the subject
Difference in
Trial Goal Achieved Difference achieved and
goal set
1 18 15 3 2.4
2 18 18 0 3
3 20 18 2 3
4 20 20 0 5
5 22 14 8 1.6
Total 98 85 13 15
Mean 19.6 17 2.6 3
Experiential learning
As a subject, I engaged interestingly with this experiment. I don’t feel any difficulty
like that, but I feel some confusion as it makes me to slow my process
Conclusion
1. goal setting has enhanced performance by +2.6 there by accepting H1
2. The subject ______ is a confident goal setter
3. Being a confident goal setter I have 3 positive goals.
