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Task complexity as a moderator of goal effects: a meta-analysis
Abstract
Much evidence exists that supports the use of goal setting as a motivational technique for enhancing task performance; howevei; little attention has been given to the role of task characteristics as potential moderating conditions of goal effects. Meta-analysis procedures were used to assess the moderator effects of task complexity for goal-setting studies conducted from 1966 to 1985 (n = 125). The reliability ofthe task complexity ratings was .92. Three sets of analyses were conducted: for goaldifficulty results (hard vs. easy), for goal specificity-difficulty (specific difficult goals vs. do-best or no goal), and for all studies collapsed across goal difficulty and goal specificity-difficulty. It was generally found that goal-setting effects were strongest for easy tasks (reaction time, brainstorming), d = .76, and weakest for more complex tasks (business game simulations, scientific and engineering work, faculty research productivity), d = .42. Implications for future research on goal setting and the validity of generalizing results are discussed.
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“Resulting flaws concerning information processing capacities emerge often in the psychological literature in which “complexity” and “difficulty” of tasks are used interchangeably (see for examples: Wood et al., 1987; McDowd and Craik, 1988).”
From Human- versus Artificial Intelligence (2021) · cites this paper as Wood et al., 1987
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“Yet meta-analyses have revealed that the overall validity of goal difficulty in predicting job performance is dc 0.577 (Wood et al., 1987), which translates into a correlation of Rc 0.277.”
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“…theory, such as the ones by Brown, Jones, and Leigh (2005), Campion and Lord (1982), Matsui, Okada, and Inoshita (1983), Seijts and Latham (2000), Wood, Mento, and Locke (1987), Yearta, Maitlis, and Briner (1995), and Jansen and Paine (2017) have explored the different mediators and moderators…”
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“known as "goal setting", works with any task that can be performed by individuals and is one of the most reliable effects ever discovered by organisational and industrial psychologists (Latham and Lee 1986; Wood, Mento and Locke 1987). Goal setting is eminently suitable for brainstorming tasks. For instance, Mento, Lo…”
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BackgroundRetractedPlanning and Implementation Intention Interventions
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The Importance of Learning Goals versus Outcome Goals for Entrepreneurs
Noel, T. W., & Latham, G. P. (2006) · The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation · doi:10.5367/000000006779111594 · Cited by 39
“When the task is complex for a person, the normally positive effect of goal setting is moderated (Chesney and Locke, 1991; Korsgaard and ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION Vol 7, No 4 Diddams, 1996; Wood, Mento and Locke, 1987).”
Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Wood, R. E., Mento, A. J., & Locke, E. A.
- Affiliations
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Psychology
- Published
- 1987-08
- Volume
- 72
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 416-425
- ISSN
- 0021-9010 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1854
- OpenAlex
- W2067506429
- Cited by
- 598
- References
- 107
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 64 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 25
- FWCI
- 17.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Employee Performance and Motivation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Keywords
- goal setting, task complexity, goal difficulty, goal specificity, task performance, motivation, moderator effects, reaction time, brainstorming, research productivity
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