GOALS, FEEDBACK, AND THE DIFFERENTIAL INFLUENCE OF SELF-REGULATORY PROCESSES ON COGNITIVELY COMPLEX PERFORMANCE

This research examined the hypothesis that the combination of assigned goals and specific performance feedback would moderate relations betw een self-regulatory processes and performance on a cognitively complex task. The presence/absence of a challenging goal and specific feedbac k was manipulated factorially. Self-evaluative reactions, self-efficac y perceptions, and personal goals were assessed after an initial trial block. Assigned goals and specific feedback did not affect mean perfo rmance levels but, as predicted, significantly moderated the impact of the self-processes. Specifically, self-efficacy perceptions and perso nal goals affected performance only within the condition combining a c hallenging goal with performance feedback. Dissatisfaction with one's prior attainments impaired subsequent goal-directed performance. Great ly overestimating one's efficacy on a preperformance assessment impair ed performance in the condition combining goals and specific feedback. Differences between effort-based and cognitively complex tasks are di scussed.