Goals, achievement strivings and their relation to emotional problems

1
Goals, achievement strivings and their
relation to emotional problems

• Peter Horvath
• Department of Psychology
• Acadia University
• 2008

2
Achievement Needs

• Achievement striving is a good thing!
• People high on the need for achievement have high
  goals and standards
• People high on the need for achievement like
  challenges and feedback on their efforts
• Achievement needs lead to curiosity and
  exploration
• High achievement oriented students strive for
  good grades
• Success at achievement leads to self-esteem!

3
Self-Regulation

• People control their achievement behaviors
  and emotions through self-regulation
• People have goals, and act on them
• They receive feedback from the environment
• They compare the feedback with their goals
• They use this feedback to make adjustments to
  their behavior to be able to better reach their
  goals

4
People Have Different Types of Goals
5
Goal Hierarchy

• Our goals are arranged in a hierarchy from
  highest to lowest levels
• At the top are the more general and abstract
  goals (e.g., values and core needs)
• Lower level goals are more specific and concrete
  goals (e.g., appearance, material things, fame,
  school marks)
• More general or higher-level goals regulate or
  control lower-level goals and behaviors

6
Ideal self-image (System concept)
Be thoughtful (Principle)
Highest-level goal 1
Buy flowers for Linda (Program)
Output for 1 and goal 2
C1
Output for 2 and goal 3
Input 1
C2
Input 2
C3
Input 3
Output execution of program
Three-level hierarchy of feedback systems
7
Self-Esteem

• Self-esteem tends to be among our highest goals
  and needs
• Most people pursue self-esteem, one way or
  another
• People pursue self-esteem by meeting goals and
  standards
• Low self-esteem or self-worth is associated with
  negative affect and depression

8
Core Needs

• We also have core needs
• These core needs include autonomy, competence,
  and relatedness
• These are like intrinsic interests and goals
• They are located at the top of goal hierarchies
• They guide lower level goals and actions
• Meeting core needs leads to emotional well-being

9
Intrinsic Goals

• When we do something because we are intrinsically
  interested in it
• When we study because we are interested in the
  topic
• When we do something because we like it, that
  protects us from uncertainties and the hurt of
  bad outcomes
• Pursuit of goals for their intrinsic interests
  leads to emotional well-being

10
Extrinsic Goals

• Often we strive for concrete goals located at
  lower levels of the goal hierarchy
• This is similar to the pursuit of extrinsic goals
  and interests
• (e.g., school marks, appearance, social
  approval, wealth, fame)
• Extrinsic goals are often parts of contingencies
  of worth
• (criteria we use to merit self-worth)
• Such lower-level goals can expose us to the
  uncertainties of changing fortunes

11
Comparator

• Self-regulation occurs by using an evaluator
  component called the comparator
• The comparator evaluates or compares the feedback
  we get from the environment (input) with goals
  and standards
• Adjustments to the output are made by the
  individual to reduce discrepancies between goals
  and input
• High-level loops based on goals and comparisons
  set the goals for the loops directly below them

12
Emotions

• In self-regulation theory, emotions are signals
  to individuals about their rate of progress
  toward
• their goals
• Positive emotions arise when there is progress
  towards our goals
• Negative emotions arise when there is no progress
  towards goals

13
Disengaging from Goals

• Normally, individuals eventually abandon or
  disengage from goals that cannot be attained
• Consistent failure at reaching some goal would
  eventually lead to the abandonment of such a goal
• This makes good sense in that personal resources
  are not depleted in the pursuit of unobtainable
  goals
• Disengaging from goals that no longer work
  prevents further emotional problems

14
Goals and Emotional Problems

• sometimes relentless pursuit of goals can
• lead to stress and emotional problems

15
Type A Behavior

• In Type A behavior, the individual pursues
  success and control in a compulsive way
• Type A personalities become very stressed when
  their goals are thwarted

16
Difficulties to Disengage from Goals

• Sometimes individuals cannot disengage from their
  goals
• after failure experiences
• The goals are too important to them to give up
• One reason for this might be that they have few
  other goals to switch to as substitutes
• The goals may be important to their self-esteem
  or identity
• This leads to further stress and emotional
  turmoil

17
Intrinsic Goals and Well-Being

• Pursuing intrinsic goals leads to long-term
  well-being
• Pursuit of goals we truly like leads to more
  stable and permanent outcomes
• When we study for the sake of learning (rather
  than marks), it protects us for the uncertainties
  of bad outcomes
• Some of the higher-level needs (autonomy, family
  relations, spirituality) are like intrinsic goals

18
Extrinsic Goals and Well-Being

• Lower-level or concrete goals can expose us to
  the uncertainties of changing events
• This is like the pursuit of extrinsic goals and
  interests (e.g., school marks, appearance, social
  approval, wealth, fame, etc.)
• Extrinsic goals are used in contingencies of
  worth
• Using extrinsic types of goals leads to
  short-term well-being

19
Pressure to Adopt Extrinsic Goals

• Modern society pressures us to adopt extrinsic
  goals (e.g., fame, money, material goods, etc.)
• But we become distressed and unhappy when we can
  no longer achieve our extrinsic goals
• Pursuing our self-worth based on extrinsic goals
  makes our self-esteem transient and unstable
• In spite of increasing standard of living in our
  society, the rate of depression keeps going up

20
Self-esteem as a Consequence

• Contingencies of worth are criteria that can
  determine our self-worth
• Extrinsic and lower-level goals in the goal
  hierarchy are used in contingencies of worth
• The consequences of meeting contingencies of
  worth is self-esteem
• So as long as we can meet our contingencies of
  worth, we are fine
• Problem occurs when we are unable to meet our
  contingencies of worth
• The consequence of not meeting our contingencies
  of worth is low self-esteem

21
Low Self-Esteem and Depression

• Depression
• Low self-esteem leads to emotional problems like
  depression
• Depressives seem to be preoccupied with the
  direct pursuit of self-worth or self-validation

22
Effects of Low Self-Esteem

• Validation Seeking as a Paradox
• Low self-esteem can lead to the direct pursuit of
  self-worth
• This is called validation seeking goal
  orientation
• Validation seekers are preoccupied with pursuing
  self-worth
• But this predisposes people to further stresses
  and emotional problems

23
Two Motivational Orientations

• Growth Seeking Orientation is focus on the
  task
• - pursuing activities for their own
  sake
• - has beneficial effects in the
  long-term
• - associated with self-esteem
• Validation Seeking Orientation is focus on
  protecting
• our self-worth
• - often through external achievement
  feedback or approval
• - can have long-term detrimental
  effects
• - can lead to stress and anxiety

24
Two Learning Orientations

• Research on learning has described two types of
  learning orientations
• 1. Mastery oriented learning
• 2. Performance oriented learning

25
Learning Orientation Effects

• Mastery oriented learning is focused on
  the task
• - sees learning as a challenge
• - learning for its own sake
• - has beneficial effects in the
  long-term
• - associated with self-esteem and
  emotional well-being
• Performance oriented learning is focused
  on protecting
• self-esteem (e.g., through
  achievement or approval)
• - an ego defensive orientation
• - can have long-term detrimental
  effects
• - short term learning benefits

26
Control of Our Self-Esteem

• Control over our self-esteem is important to our
  well-being
• We often seek self-esteem through meeting
  extrinsic goals in contingencies of worth
• Control over our self-esteem is difficult to do
  through the pursuit of extrinsic goals
• Lack of control over self-esteem leads to
  emotional problems, such as depression

27
Summary

• The benefits of pursuing extrinsic goals only
  lasts while we are successful
• Pursuing higher level goals and core needs
  directly
• (e.g., self-esteem) can be counter productive
• Core needs can best be satisfied indirectly, by
  pursuing intrinsic goals and values

28
Some Conclusions

• Emotional disorders reflect difficulties with the
  control and regulation of self-esteem
• The control of self-esteem is important for our
  long-term well-being
• When we pursue intrinsic goals, we satisfy our
  core needs
• When we pursue intrinsic goals, we are more
  likely to be happy and have control over our
  self-worth

29

Thank You!