Age-related differences in outcome and process goal focus

Abstract

Three studies report initial findings on age-related differences in goal focus. Study 1 compared younger (n ¼ 23, 19-25 years) to older (n ¼ 20, 57-78 years) adults regarding their preference for representations of goals in terms of the means (process focus) or the associated outcomes (outcome focus). As expected, older adults chose process descriptors of goals more frequently than younger adults. Study 2 investigated the emotional consequences of goal focus. Whereas younger adults (n ¼ 49, 18-25 years) reported higher negative affect when they focused on the outcomes of a goal, older adults (n ¼ 40, 60-88 years) reported higher positive affect when they focused on the process. Study 3, a 4-month longitudinal study, applied the distinction between process and outcome focus to the context of a personal goal in everyday life (starting to exercise). Older adults (n ¼ 46, 55-78 years) reported having a stronger process focus than younger adults (n ¼ 55, 19-25 years). Again, older adults were more likely to adopt a process than an outcome focus. For both age groups, process focus predicted positive goal-related development and affective well-being. In contrast, outcome focus was either not or negatively related to these outcomes.

More than Just a Simple Twist of Fate: Serendipitous Relations in Developmental Science

“…In addition, those with a more serendipitous orientation select and work towards achieving goals that arise from such unexpected circumstances. These individuals likely have a growth, rather than maintenance orientation [e.g., Freund, Hennecke, & Riediger, 2010;Mustafić & Freund, 2012]. In addition, individuals choosing to employ a serendipitous orientation are likely highly agentic, and excel at facing the unexpected challenges [e.g., Little et al, 2006].…”

Sustainable consumption and marketing

“…The actual choices in daily consumption are governed by low construal motivational factors rather than by abstract and distant goals. Recent studies suggest that low construal motives are intrinsic, means-focused, and/or loss oriented (Freitas et al, 2004;Freund et al, 2010;Fujita et al, 2008;Lee et al, 2010). Therefore internal intrinsic motivations for sustainable consumption, or external product cues that are congruent with loss avoidance should, be effective in triggering sustainable consumption among light users.…”

“…Low construal level motivates one to focus on the means whereas high construal level motivates one to focus on the ends (Fujita et al, 2008). Similarly intrinsic motivation (enjoyment of the activity) fosters a process focus and a low construal level, whereas extrinsic motivation (performance for rewards) fosters an outcome focus and a high construal level (Freund, Hennecke, & Riediger, 2010;Polman & Emich, 2011;. Furthermore high level construal is congruent to achievement goals and a promotion orientation, whereas low construal is congruent with safety goals and a prevention orientation (Lee, Keller, & Sternthal, 2010).…”

“…One approach is raising the construal level of the proximal choice to induce less pragmatic and more idealistic reasoning about a concrete issue (Freund et al, 2010;Malkoc & Zauberman, 2006;Polman & Emich, 2011). In line with this approach cognitive interventions aim at inducing abstraction and mindfulness to raise the construal level of the proximal choice and thus enhance the motivation for distal-goal-congruent behaviour, or to raise the self-control to resist goal-incongruent temptations (Amel, Manning, & Scott, 2009;Fujita & Roberts, 2010;Jenkins & Tapper, 2014;Mantzios & Wilson, 2014).…”

“…Two observations have guided selection of the low construal motivations that are tested in these deductive chapters. The first is the observation that intrinsic motivation operates at lower construal levels than extrinsic motivation by focusing attention on the task at hand rather than on the expected rewards after completion of the task (Deci & Ryan, 2000;Freund et al, 2010). The second is the observation that a prevention focused and loss avoidance oriented goal pursuit operates at a lower construal level than a promotion focused and gain oriented goal pursuit (Freitas et al, 2004;Lee et al, 2010).…”