Title: The role of vicarious reward and individual differences in vicarious goal satiation
Abstract: Vicarious goal satiation is the reduction in effort and increase in interest towards activities unrelated to the focal goal following the witnessing of another complete that goal (McCulloch et al., 2011). This can occur automatically and without conscious awareness (McCulloch et al., 2011). Given that we are constantly surrounded by other’s pursuing similar goals to us, if their achievements make us reduce our effort towards our own goals and increase our interest to unrelated activities, we may never successfully complete our own goals. The primary aim of the present research was to investigate whether this effect occurs due to the observer feeling like they have achieved the goal themselves. In the case of an academic goal, this reward was expected to be an increase in implicit self-competence. The secondary aim of this investigation was to examine whether there were any individual differences which might protect against this effect. It was hypothesised that after reading about a person striving to achieve a goal, those who read that the goal had been completed would have greater implicit self-competence, write poorer quality essays, be more interested in fun activities and less interested in academic tasks. It was further thought that this effect would only be seen for those who were low in either achievement motivation or academic contingency of self-worth. While there was an overall effect of condition on essay quality and interest in fun activities, there was no evidence that implicit self-competence was a part of the effect. Achievement motivation and academic contingency of self-worth were similarly not found to moderate this effect. As these constructs are specific to the goal achieved (academic), it is possible that more general factors may protect against this effect. Both drive and fun seeking as measured by the BAS scale developed by Carver and White (1994) moderated the effect of condition on interest in fun activities. Further implications of these findings are discussed.
Publication Year: 2013
Publication Date: 2013-10-09
Language: en
Type: article
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