A Motivated Action Theory Account of Goal Orientation.
Abstract
Rapid organizational change is increasing the pressure on employees to continually update their skills and adapt their behavior to new organizational realities. Goal orientation is a promising motivational construct that may explain why some individuals adapt to change better. Unfortunately, the current goal orientation literature is in a state of conceptual and methodological disarray. This presentation reviews the goal orientation literature and identifies numerous conceptual ambiguities, including definitional inconsistencies, dimensional inconsistencies, and inconsistencies in the conceptualization of stability. These conceptual ambiguities result in a confusing array of goal orientation measures and manipulations and ultimately an incoherent empirical database. A dynamic self-regulation model of goal orientation, termed motivated action theory, is presented to integrate the various conceptual perspectives and to provide guidelines for future goal orientation research.
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Results of Experiment 3 furnish a timely integration of achievement goal and self-determination theory and support for the multitiered motivational models favored by a number of theorists.
“In this way, results of Experiment 3 furnish a timely integration of achievement goal and self-determination theory and, furthermore, support for the multitiered motivational models favored by a number of theorists (DeShon & Gillespie, 2005; Elliot, 1999; Grouzet et al., 2004; Moller & Elliot, 2006).”
From Why grades engender performance-avoidance goals: The mediating role of autonomous motivation. (2011) · cites this paper as DeShon & Gillespie, 2005
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- Authors
- DeShon, R. P., & Gillespie, J. Z.
- Affiliations
- Michigan State University (US)
- Bowling Green State University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Psychology
- Published
- 2005
- Volume
- 90
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1096-1127
- ISSN
- 0021-9010 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1854
- OpenAlex
- W1982835598
- Cited by
- 786
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 40 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 47 · 2019: 62 · 2018: 45 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 50 · 2015: 47 · 2014: 47 · 2013: 48 · 2012: 52
- FWCI
- 4.75
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Psychological Testing and Assessment
- Keywords
- goal orientation, self-regulation, organizational change, employee adaptation, motivation, conceptual ambiguity
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Humans, Individuality, Motivation, Organizational Innovation, Organizational Objectives, Personnel Management, Psychological Theory, Organizational Culture, Guidelines as Topic
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