TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of Failure on Subsequent Performance
T2 - The Importance of Self-Defining Goals
AU - Brunstein, Joachim C.
AU - Gollwitzer, Peter M.
PY - 1996/2
Y1 - 1996/2
N2 - Extending R. A. Wicklund and P. M. Gollwitzer's (1982) self-completion theory, 2 experiments examined the role of self-defining goals in predicting performance effects of failure among students committed to professional goals such as becoming a physician (Experiment 1) or a computer scientist (Experiment 2). Results of Experiment 1 revealed that failure on a task characterized as being relevant to students' professional self-definition led to (a) enhanced performance on a subsequent task relevant to the same self-definition and (b) impaired performance on a subsequent task unrelated to the self-definition challenged through prior failure. Experiment 2 replicated these findings. In addition, performance effects due to self-definitional failure were annulled when participants experienced intermittent social recognition for the aspired-to self-definition.
AB - Extending R. A. Wicklund and P. M. Gollwitzer's (1982) self-completion theory, 2 experiments examined the role of self-defining goals in predicting performance effects of failure among students committed to professional goals such as becoming a physician (Experiment 1) or a computer scientist (Experiment 2). Results of Experiment 1 revealed that failure on a task characterized as being relevant to students' professional self-definition led to (a) enhanced performance on a subsequent task relevant to the same self-definition and (b) impaired performance on a subsequent task unrelated to the self-definition challenged through prior failure. Experiment 2 replicated these findings. In addition, performance effects due to self-definitional failure were annulled when participants experienced intermittent social recognition for the aspired-to self-definition.
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U2 - 10.1037/0022-3514.70.2.395
DO - 10.1037/0022-3514.70.2.395
M3 - Article
C2 - 8636891
AN - SCOPUS:0030076618
SN - 0022-3514
VL - 70
SP - 395
EP - 407
JO - Journal of personality and social psychology
JF - Journal of personality and social psychology
IS - 2
ER -