Goal orientation and ability: interactive effects on self-efficacy, performance, and knowledge.

Bradford S Bell; Steve W J Kozlowski

doi:10.1037/0021-9010.87.3.497

Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 12090607

Goal orientation and ability: interactive effects on self-efficacy, performance, and knowledge.

Bradford S Bell·Steve W J Kozlowski

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

This study examined the direct relationship of goal orientation--and the interaction of goal orientation and cognitive ability--with self-efficacy, performance, and knowledge in a learning context. The authors argue that whether a particular type of goal orientation is adaptive or not adaptive depends on individuals' cognitive ability. Consistent with previous research, learning orientation was positively related to self-efficacy, performance, and knowledge, whereas performance orientation was negatively related to performance only. The interactions between goal orientation and ability also supported several hypotheses. As expected, learning orientation was generally adaptive for high-ability individuals but had no effect for low-ability individuals. In contrast, the effects of performance orientation were contingent on both individuals' level of cognitive ability and the outcome examined.

Explore related subjects

Adaptation, Psychological Adolescent Adult Cognition Female Goals Humans Learning Male Self Efficacy Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

Bradford S Bell, Steve W J Kozlowski. 2002. Goal orientation and ability: interactive effects on self-efficacy, performance, and knowledge.. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.87.3.497

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2003

Detailed behavioral analysis reveals both task strategies and spatial memory impairments in rats given bilateral middle cerebral artery stroke.

Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) impairs performance in the water maze task by rats. The purpose was to evaluate the effect of bilateral MCAO in naive and strategies-pretrained rats using a detailed behavioral analysis to further develop a water maze model of stroke. Rats were trained in either a simple swim-to-visible platform task or in a conventional spatial version with a hidden platform in the pool. In the visible platform task naive stroked rats were impaired because of a marked tendency to swim thigmotaxically on most trials. For the spatial learning experiment, some rats received Morris' water maze strategies pretraining prior to MCAO and subsequent spatial training to familiarize them with the general behavioral strategies required in the task. In the spatial learning task naive stroked rats had both strategies and spatial learning impairments but pretrained stroked rats were indistinguishable from sham controls on all behavioral measures. All stroked rats had comparable bilateral brain damage measured using a computerized volumetric measuring technique. These results indicate that in naive rats bilateral MCAO causes behavioral strategies impairments in the visible and hidden platform versions of the water maze as well as specific spatial learning impairments in the hidden platform version. The results also indicate that behavioral strategies pretraining allows stroked rats to acquire and remember sufficient strategies skills and spatial information to perform as well as sham controls during subsequent spatial training. These techniques appear to be capable of quantifying the effects of potentially protective treatments for stroke.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2003

Partial nectar loads as a cause of multiple nectar transfer in the honey bee (Apis mellifera): a simulation model.

Honey bee foragers transfer their nectar loads to receiver bees within the nest. Surprisingly, they often transfer to more than one receiver (published values range from 1.9 to 2.7). Several adaptive hypotheses have been proposed to explain why multiple transfer occurs. One hypothesis, information improvement, states that multiple transfer arises as an adaptive forager-driven process. Foragers use the delay in finding a receiver to assess the relative work capacities of foragers and receivers, performing recruitment dances when appropriate. Multiple transferring improves their delay information. We used a stochastic simulation model to investigate the non-adaptive partial loads hypothesis. We determined the extent to which partial crop loads and receiver filling and emptying rules (i.e. how much nectar to accept before leaving the transfer area) can cause multiple transfer. As many as 1.9 nectar transfers per returning forager were generated within biologically realistic parameter space. We suggest that much multiple transfer arises as a non-adaptive consequence of partitioning nectar foraging between foragers and receivers, but that this will also result in foragers having better information about the relative work capacities of foragers and receivers as a useful consequence. We suggest that the number of transfers caused by partial loads could also be increased by an adaptive forager-driven effort to improve their information concerning the balance of foragers and receivers and we outline a framework wherein the information improvement hypothesis can be directly tested.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2003

How oncologists discuss complementary therapy use with their patients: an audio-tape audit.

Understanding the dynamics of oncologist-patient communication regarding complementary therapy (CT) use is essential for the development of much-needed clinical guidelines. Discussions of CT use in 314 audio-taped initial consultations between cancer patients and their oncologists were identified and coded. Patients' anxiety levels and coping styles were also assessed. Reference to CT use was found in 91 consultations (29%). Patients and kin initiated most CT discussions, commonly during discussions of patients' medical history, treatment options or prognosis. In half of these discussions, patients volunteered that they were currently using a CT or were considering its use. Discussion of CT use was more likely to occur in consultations with patients who were younger, were better educated, spoke poorer English, had metastatic disease or limited life expectancy and expressed higher levels of fighting spirit and anxious preoccupation and lower levels of fatalism. The most commonly discussed CTs were: changes in diet; use of multivitamins, vitamin C or antioxidants; and having a positive attitude or fighting spirit. The doctor's overall response to CTs was most frequently coded as "encouraging", although 35% of attempts to initiate discussion were ignored by the oncologist. Doctors were more likely to make encouraging statements about CTs typically perceived to be potentially helpful versus potentially harmful. The current findings point to a need for practical consensus on how to communicate with cancer patients on the subject of CT use so that patients can receive the support and guidance that they are seeking from their oncologists.

Adaptation, Psychological↗