MEDIATING ROLES OF SELF-SET GOALS, GOAL COMMITMENT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ATTRACTIVENESS IN THE INCENTIVE-PERFORMANCE RELATION

The effects of monetary incentives on performance were examined in 2 s tudies. These effects were hypothesized to be through the intermediary motivational processes of self-efficacy, attractiveness ratings, goal level, and goal commitment. In Study 1, 80 subjects worked solving an agrams on 8 trials under 1 of 4 monetary incentive conditions (piece r ate, hourly rate, competitive bonus, and goal attainment bonus). In St udy 2, 146 subjects worked solving anagrams on 4 trials under 1 of 4 m onetary incentive conditions (piece rate, informed bonus, uninformed b onus, and assigned bonus). In both studies, subjects self-set goal lev els both before and after the incentive manipulation. Results from bot h studies indicated that tying rewards to goal attainment resulted in subjects having lower goal levels and lower self-efficacy, whereas pie ce-rate systems resulted in higher goal levels and higher self-efficac y. in addition, goal levels and self-efficacy partially mediated the r elation between incentives and performance.