Self-Regulation in a Simultaneous, Multiple-Goal Environment

The present study sought to extend goal-setting research by examining the nature of individuals' self-regulation with respect to performance goals while pursuing multiple, simultaneous goals. It was proposed that goal revision and effort allocation would be influenced by goal-performance discrepancies (GPD), causal attributions for factors affecting performance, self-efficacy, and rate of progress toward task goals. Results indicated that GPDs predicted goal revision direction and magnitude, and that controllability attributions moderated the GPD – revision relation. GPD size determined prioritization between tasks, as did self-efficacy. Mixed results were found for self-efficacy moderating the relation between GPD size and task prioritization. Rate of progress toward a task goal generally predicted prioritization between tasks and the amount of exerted effort within a single task. Although many results were not in the anticipated form, they still fit with modern theoretical frameworks associated with work motivation. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.