TY - JOUR
T1 - The motivational and instantaneous behavior effects of contexts : steps towards a theory of goal-directed behavior
AU - Scheuthle, H.
AU - Cariabias-Hütter, V.
AU - Kaiser, F.G.
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - Contextual conditions affect behavior in 2 ways: (a) They confront people with opportunities and obstacles that affect their motivation to take action; or (b) they instantaneously shape performance, regardless of a person's motivation and even without subjective acknowledgment of the conditions. Traditionally in psychology, the immediate behavioral consequences of a context are disregarded. Based on our theory of goal-directed behavior, we are able to disentangle the instant and the motivational behavioral consequences of contexts. In an example study, 40% of the variation in performance among 660 Swiss and Spanish pupils was explained by motivational differences. Instantaneous constraints and facilitations imposed on people's acts, in turn, revealed a set of Switzerland- and Spain-specific limitations and affordances (hit rate = 97.5%).
AB - Contextual conditions affect behavior in 2 ways: (a) They confront people with opportunities and obstacles that affect their motivation to take action; or (b) they instantaneously shape performance, regardless of a person's motivation and even without subjective acknowledgment of the conditions. Traditionally in psychology, the immediate behavioral consequences of a context are disregarded. Based on our theory of goal-directed behavior, we are able to disentangle the instant and the motivational behavioral consequences of contexts. In an example study, 40% of the variation in performance among 660 Swiss and Spanish pupils was explained by motivational differences. Instantaneous constraints and facilitations imposed on people's acts, in turn, revealed a set of Switzerland- and Spain-specific limitations and affordances (hit rate = 97.5%).
U2 - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2005.tb02210.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2005.tb02210.x
M3 - Article
VL - 35
SP - 2076
EP - 2093
JO - Journal of Applied Social Psychology
JF - Journal of Applied Social Psychology
SN - 0021-9029
IS - 10
ER -