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To achieve or not to achieve? Comparative mindsets elicit assimilation and contrast in goal priming.
- Source :
- European Journal of Social Psychology; Oct2012, Vol. 42 Issue 6, p780-788, 9p, 1 Graph
- Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- Goal priming typically leads to goal-consistent behavior. This uniform pattern is surprising given other types of priming effects, which have been found to be more variable. On the basis of previous research on judgment priming effects, we predicted that a comparative mindset to focus on similarities versus differences also affects the direction of goal priming. Two studies show that assimilation to a primed goal results if participants focus on similarities, whereas a focus on differences leads to contrast. In Study 1, participants induced to focus on similarities behaved more neatly after being primed with neatness rather than the goal to be carefree. For participants induced to focus on differences, the opposite pattern emerged. In Study 2, a similarity focus led to assimilation to an achievement prime, whereas a difference focus resulted in contrast. These findings highlight the importance of comparative processes in goal striving and demonstrate that assimilative goal-priming effects are less invariable than existing research suggests. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00462772
- Volume :
- 42
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- European Journal of Social Psychology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 80202494
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.873