The Joint Influence of Situational Constraints and Goal Setting on Performance and Affective Outcomes

The major prediction in the present investigation was that increases in goal dificulty would be associated with increases in task performance only in the absence of severe situational constraints. In order to test this and associated predictions, a laboratory study was conducted using a 2 (facilitating versus inhibiting task settings) x 3 (low versus moderate versus high goal levels) experimental design. Results supported the constraint x goal difficulty interaction prediction using a measure of self-set personal goals and tended to do so using the manipulated goal difficulty level. In addition, situational constraints were found to be significantly associated with the performance and affective outcome variables and self-set goal level was found to be significantly associated with performance. These results are discussed with regard to both the goal setting and situational constraint literatures.

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