Learning to play golf under-different goal conditions: their effects on irrelevant thoughts and on subsequent control strategies

Volitional and self-handicapping theories suggest that individuals use vari ous strategies to energize the maintenance and the enactment of goals. We p laced 32 golfers (16 melt and 16 women) alternately in four golf proficienc y conditions using a randomized complete block design: task involvement, le arning, achievement; and one-on-one competition goals. As expected, the pat h analysis showed that one-on-one competition goals generate irrelevant tho ughts (anxiety, threat to self-esteem, distraction) as well as the subseque nt bringing into play of control strategies (emotional control, attentional control, self-handicapping strategies). Conversely, task involvement goals not only exclude: intrusive thoughts but hinder the implementation of cont rol strategies. These results are discussed in terms of the attentional pro cesses induced by motivational goals and their subsequent volitional and se lf-handicapping strategies. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley, & Sons, Ltd.