Orchestrating Multiple Goals Across Adulthood: From Solo to Tutti

Tomasik, Martin J.

doi:10.1080/15427609.2016.1234311

Cited by 2 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 20 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This study examined change and stability in German young adults’ personal goal appraisals over the Great Recession. We formed profiles of goal appraisals across multiple— potentially competing—life domains that individuals must orchestrate simultaneously (Tomasik, 2016). Our profiles differed mainly in the endorsement of family formation goals (high vs. low) and were remarkably stable over time, which may be partly explained by Germany’s unique experience during the recession (Brenke et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Brandtstädter, 2006). Thus, maintaining a diverse pool of possible personal goals to choose from may facilitate adaptation in the face of new circumstances or of hurdles and challenges that an individual may not or cannot overcome (Heckhausen et al, 2010; Tomasik, 2016).…”

Section: Theoretical Considerations Of Goal Selection and Adaptationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…And yet it is also clear that transitions to adulthood have in recent decades converged for women and men in many national contexts, particularly due to gains in women’s access to and achievements in education and professional life (Spéder et al, 2014). Because life domains are intertwined, personal goals from competing domains must also be resolved or integrated, and investments in some domains may come at the cost of others (Knecht, Wiese, & Freund, 2016; Tomasik, 2016). For example, investing heavily in work-related goals, may mean that individuals must hold back family or leisure goals, and vice versa (Knecht et al, 2016).…”

Section: Goal Adaptation In Young Adulthoodmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Disengaging from goals, however, may only be adaptive for goals that are not core to one’s goal hierarchy or if opportunities to succeed are truly marginal (whether due to personal characteristics or larger circumstances, such as a recession). One could speculate that young adults who maintained high career aspirations amid the recession might have disengaged at least temporarily or partially from goals in other life domains, and research has pointed to the need to examine these kinds of cross-domain dynamics (Tomasik, 2016). Additionally, the ability of young adults to set and modify goals is to some extent shaped by the presence of personal resources (Hellevik & Settersten, 2013), such that youth with greater resources will suffer less disruption in goal-striving in hard times, thereby exacerbating inequalities in the outcomes of young people.…”

Section: Young Adults’ Personal Goals and The Great Recessionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Stable goals despite economic strain: Young adults’ goal appraisals across the Great Recession

Recksiedler

Settersten

Geldhof

et al. 2018

International Journal of Behavioral Development

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Drawing on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), this study examines change and stability in personal goal appraisals among German young adults aged 18–29 from 2008, the depth of the Great Recession, to 2012, into the recovery period ( N = 3,292). Young adults in Germany, particularly young male workers, were greatly affected by the recession. We examine adaptation in personal appraisals of family, work, leisure, and self-fulfillment goals. Latent transition analysis revealed two profiles of goal adaptation, which differed mainly on the significance of family formation goals (low vs. high). Transitions between the latent profiles over time were less common. Females, older participants, partnered, and employed respondents were more likely to be classified into the high family formation profile. The high family formation profile was also associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and satisfaction with family life, yet simultaneously with lower levels of satisfaction with work and more concerns about the general economy at the onset of the recession. Furthermore, results do not reveal that family formation goals were relinquished over the recession years in favor of self-fulfillment or work-related goals. The high degree of stability in goal appraisals suggests that holding on to family formation goals was important for the well-being of young adults, and that maintaining high aspirations for multiple goals may have protected young people from the effects of economic strain. These findings are discussed in light of the unique aspects of German context.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Theoretical Considerations Of Goal Selection and Adaptationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Goal Adaptation In Young Adulthoodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Young Adults’ Personal Goals and The Great Recessionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Stable goals despite economic strain: Young adults’ goal appraisals across the Great Recession

Recksiedler

Settersten

Geldhof

et al. 2018

International Journal of Behavioral Development

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The latter approaches recognize that, in everyday life, most people strive for multiple goals that are often interconnected (e.g., Dodge, Asher, & Parkhurst, 1989) and can have complex positive (or facilitative) and negative (or interfering) reciprocal relationships, both at the level of means and outcomes of goal striving (Riediger & Freund, 2004; Sheldon & Kasser, 1995). These approaches increasingly gain scientific attention (e.g., Tomasik, 2016).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Some evidence for the usefulness of an optimal foraging theory perspective on goal conflict and goal facilitation.

Tomasik¹,

Knecht²,

Freund³

2017

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Based on optimal foraging theory, we propose a metric that allows evaluating the goodness of goal systems, i.e., systems comprising multiple goals with facilitative and conflicting interrelations. This optimal foraging theory takes into account expectancy and value, as well as opportunity costs, of foraging. Applying this approach to goal systems provides a single index of goodness of a goal system for goal striving. Three quasi-experimental studies (N = 277, N = 145, and N = 210) provide evidence for the usefulness of this approach for goal systems comprising between three to 10 goals. Results indicate that persons with a more optimized goal-system are more conscientious and open to new experience, are more likely to represent their goals in terms of means (i.e., adopt a process focus), and are more satisfied and engaged with their goals. Persons with a suboptimal goal system tend to switch their goals more often and thereby optimize their goal system. We discuss limitations as well as possible future directions of this approach. AbstractBased on optimal foraging theory, we propose a metric that allows evaluating the goodness of goal systems, i.e., systems comprising multiple goals with facilitative and conflicting interrelations. This optimal foraging theory takes into account expectancy and value, as well as opportunity costs, of foraging. Applying this approach to goal systems provides a single index of goodness of a goal system for goal striving. Three quasi-experimental studies (N = 277, N = 145, and N = 210) provide evidence for the usefulness of this approach for goal systems comprising between three to 10 goals. Results indicate that persons with a more optimized goal-system are more conscientious and open to new experience, are more likely to represent their goals in terms of means (i.e., adopt a process focus), and are more satisfied and engaged with their goals.Persons with a suboptimal goal system tend to switch their goals more often and thereby optimize their goal system. We discuss limitations as well as possible future directions of this approach.Keywords: Disengagement; goal systems; multiple goals; optimal foraging. GOAL CONFLICT AND GOAL FACILITATION 3Some Evidence for an Optimal Foraging Theory Perspective on Goal Conflict and Goal Facilitation Goals, defined as "desired states that people seek to obtain, maintain or avoid" (Emmons, 1996, p. 314), can be considered as "building blocks of personality and development in adulthood" (Freund & Riediger, 2006, p. 353) that provide direction and meaning to a person's life (Freund, 2007; Klinger, 1977;Little, 1989). Goals guide attention and behavior (e.g., Bargh & Ferguson, 2000) and represent a standard for evaluating performance (e.g., Bandura, 1989), which in turn affects subjective well-being (e.g., Brunstein, 1993). Given the importance of goals for adaptation and development, it is not surprising that there are numerous theories that attempt to explain and understand the processes of goal setting (e.g., Austin & Bobko, 1985;L...

show abstract

Orchestrating Multiple Goals Across Adulthood: From Solo to Tutti

Cited by 2 publications

References 20 publications

Stable goals despite economic strain: Young adults’ goal appraisals across the Great Recession

Stable goals despite economic strain: Young adults’ goal appraisals across the Great Recession

Some evidence for the usefulness of an optimal foraging theory perspective on goal conflict and goal facilitation.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About