Expectancy effects on behavior depend on self-regulatory thought
Abstract
Expectancy effects on behavior depend on whether relevant expectations are activated and used. When people contrast their fantasies about a positive future with negative aspects of impeding reality, a necessity to act is experienced that leads to the activation and use of expectations. When people only fantasize about a positive future or only ruminate about impeding reality, no necessity to act is experienced and expectations fail to be activated and used. In two experiments with different paradigms (a salience procedure and a reinterpretation procedure) and distinct fantasy themes (getting to know an attractive stranger and successfully combining work and family life), participants mentally contrasted a positive future with impeding reality, fantasized about a positive future, or ruminated about impeding reality. Expectations of success guided behavioral commitment towards fantasy realization only when a positive future was mentally contrasted with impeding reality. The findings have implications for the emergence of goals and the recent realism versus optimism debate.
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Mental contrasting can transform positive fantasies into binding goals, urging people to overcome obstacles to attain goals.
“After imagining a positive future, thinking about obstacles that impede the realization of wishes (i.e., mental contrasting) can transform people's positive fantasies into binding goals, urging them to overcome obstacles in reality to attain their goals (Oettingen, 2000).”
From A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Mental Contrasting With Implementation Intentions on Goal Attainment (2021) · cites this paper as Oettingen, 2000
Mental contrasting activates expectations of success: high expectations lead to commitment and pursuit; low expectations lead to postponing or abandoning wishes.
“Mentally contrasting a desired future with impeding reality can activate expectations of success: when expectations of success are high, people fully commit and pursue their goals; when expectations of success are low, people postpone or abandon the fulfillment of their wishes (Oettingen, 2000, 2012).”
From A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Mental Contrasting With Implementation Intentions on Goal Attainment (2021) · cites this paper as Oettingen, 2000
Expectations of success moderate the effect of mental contrasting on goal pursuit.
“Expectations of success, perceived likelihood of attaining the desired outcome (i.e., general expectations, usually measured by 'how likely do you think it is that you will attain your goal?') moderate the effect of mental contrasting on goal pursuit (Oettingen, 2000; Oettingen et al., 2001).”
From A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Mental Contrasting With Implementation Intentions on Goal Attainment (2021) · cites this paper as Oettingen, 2000
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Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis of effects and processes
Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006) · Advances in Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/s0065-2601(06)38002-1 · Cited by 3,236 · see citing works
“, mental contrasting) is a particularly eVective strategy for discovering powerful barriers and hindrances that stand in the way of realizing desired outcomes (Oettingen, 2000; Oettingen et al., 2001).”
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Wang, G., Wang, Y., & Gai, X. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.565202 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
“After imagining a positive future, thinking about obstacles that impede the realization of wishes (i.e., mental contrasting) can transform people’s positive fantasies into binding goals, urging them to overcome obstacles in reality to attain their goals (Oettingen, 2000).”
BackgroundThe Vivid Present: Visualization Abilities Are Associated with Steep Discounting of Future Rewards
Parthasarathi, T., McConnell, M. H., Luery, J., & Kable, J. W. (2017) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00289 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
- Authors
- Oettingen, G.
- Affiliations
- Max Planck Society (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Oettingen, Gabriele
- ORCID
- Oettingen, Gabriele
- Venue
- Social Cognition
- Publisher
- Guilford Publications
- Published
- 2000-06
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 101-129
- ISSN
- 0278-016X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2002586584
- Cited by
- 254
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 9.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Social Cognition (publishedVersion)
- Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › General Decision Sciences › Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
- Keywords
- mental contrasting, mental imagery, fantasy, rumination, expectations, self-regulation, behavioral commitment, optimism, work-family balance
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