Mental Contrasting and Goal Commitment: The Mediating Role of energization

Publikation: Beiträge in ZeitschriftenZeitschriftenaufsätzeForschungbegutachtet

Authors

  • Gabriele Oettingen
  • Doris Mayer
  • Timur Sevincer
  • Elizabeth J. Stephens
  • Hyeon-ju Pak
  • Meike Hagenah
Mentally contrasting a desired future with present reality is a self-regulation strategy that leads to goal commitment in line with a person’s expectations of success. One possible mediator variable of these effects is level of energization. In Study 1, energization assessed by physiological measures was found to mediate the effect of mental contrasting on goal commitment. In Study 2, feelings of energization, as assessed by self-report, mediated the effect of mental contrasting on goal commitment as gauged by performance on an acute stress paradigm (giving a talk in front of a camera). Results imply that when expectations of success are high, mental contrasting provides the level of energy needed to commit to realizing desired futures.
OriginalspracheEnglisch
ZeitschriftPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Jahrgang35
Ausgabenummer5
Seiten (von - bis)608-622
Anzahl der Seiten15
ISSN0146-1672
DOIs
PublikationsstatusErschienen - 05.2009
Extern publiziertJa

DOI