scholarly journals Late-Action Effect: Heightened Counterfactual Potency and Perceived Outcome Reversibility Make Actions Closer to a Definitive Outcome Seem More Impactful

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignazio Ziano ◽  
Mario Pandelaere
Keyword(s):  
Positive Outcome ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Total N ◽  
Action Effect ◽  
Psychological Understanding ◽  
Goal Completion ◽  
Within Subjects ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Alternative Scenarios

We report a consistent effect in the evaluation of actions: later actions – specifically, actions that are closer to a final, positive outcome - are considered as contributing more to that outcome, compared to earlier actions. Ten experiments (total n = 5307, five pre-registered, with U.S. American and British participants, manipulating action timing both within-subjects and between-subjects) provide evidence in support of a late-action effect. This effect extends to different domains, from sports to business to academics. We identify two mediators. The first is a heightened tendency to imagine negative alternative scenarios when the action is closer to an outcome, that is, higher counterfactual potency for later actions. The second is perceived outcome reversibility – lower for later actions, when there is less time for the provisional outcome to change. The effect is mitigated if people are instructed to imagine counterfactual outcomes (consistent with the notion of a counterfactual potency mediation), and if the action does not produce a provisional outcome change. We discuss theoretical implications for the psychological understanding of timing, causality attributions, and counterfactual thinking, as well as future research directions for goal-gradient (the tendency to give more weight to the last steps towards goal completion) and procrastination.

Evaluating Inrole and Extrarole Behaviors Across Sectors

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert K. Christensen ◽  
Steven W. Whiting
Keyword(s):  
Performance Appraisals ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Task Behavior ◽  
Managerial Task ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Within Subjects ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Low Performance ◽  
Public Sector Managers

In this study, we explore whether sector distinguishes what we know about performance appraisals. We were particularly interested in two important aspects of the appraisal process: evaluation of inrole/task and extrarole/citizenship behaviors. We utilized a mixed experimental design with three within-subjects factors (task behavior and two types of extrarole behavior), each manipulated at two levels (high and low performance), and a between-subjects factor measuring sector of the respondent (private and public/nonprofit). We find that sector does matter in a common managerial task like performance appraisals. Public sector managers placed greater weight on task behaviors in making their appraisals than did private sector managers. Results regarding sector and extrarole behaviors were mixed. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Effects of Mental Rehearsal of Task Motor Activity and Mental Depiction of Task Outcome on Motor Skill Performance

1985 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Woolfolk ◽  
Shane M. Murphy ◽  
David Gottesfeld ◽  
David Aitken
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skill ◽  
Positive Outcome ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mental Rehearsal ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Simple Motor ◽  
Skill Performance ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
And Performance

An investigation was carried out concerning the effect of imagery instructions on a simple motor skill accuracy task (putting a golf ball). Male college students (N = 50) were randomly assigned to one of six experimental conditions in a design that allowed the presence or absence of mental rehearsal of the physical movements involved in the task to be completely crossed with the imaginal depiction of task outcome (successful, unsuccessful, or no outcome component). A significant outcome by trials interaction was found on task performance. This finding reflected the degradation of performance in the conditions employing negative outcome imagery rather than any enhancement of performance by positive outcome imagery. Self-efficacy was found to be correlated with performance, but this association seemed to be a by-product of the strong relationships between these variables and performance on the previous trial. Results are discussed in relation to the existing literature, and future research directions are delineated.

Antagonism in Daily Life: An Exploratory Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Vize ◽  
Whitney R. Ringwald ◽  
Elizabeth A. Edershile ◽  
Aidan G.C. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Momentary Assessment ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Total N ◽  
Assessment Study ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Momentary Assessment

Interpersonal Antagonism is one of the major domains of maladaptive personality. Structural-based investigations of Antagonism have generally been consistent in highlighting the more specific antagonistic traits (e.g., manipulativeness, callousness) that underlie the broader domain. However, less work has attempted to merge structural and functional accounts of Antagonism to assess how specific antagonistic traits manifest in daily life. This exploratory study examined how Antagonism and its specific features relate to outcomes assessed using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methods. Across four independent EMA samples (N range=297-396; total N = 1,365; observations per outcome=5,419-17,735), we investigated how antagonistic traits related to theoretically relevant, EMA-based outcomes (e.g., affect, empathy, coldness-warmth in interpersonal interactions). Results showed robust findings across samples and operationalizations of Antagonism (e.g., Antagonism’s relation with negative affect), along with more mixed results (e.g., Antagonism’s relation with different measures of empathy). We discuss future research directions for structural and functional accounts of Antagonism.

Antagonism in Daily Life: An Exploratory Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 216770262110135
Author(s):  
Colin E. Vize ◽  
Whitney R. Ringwald ◽  
Elizabeth A. Edershile ◽  
Aidan G. C. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Momentary Assessment ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Total N ◽  
Assessment Study ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Momentary Assessment

Interpersonal antagonism is one of the major domains of maladaptive personality. Structure-based investigations of antagonism have generally been consistent in highlighting the more specific antagonistic traits (e.g., manipulativeness, callousness) that underlie the broader domain. However, less work has attempted to merge structural and functional accounts of antagonism to assess how specific antagonistic traits manifest in daily life. This exploratory study examined how antagonism and its specific features relate to outcomes assessed using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methods. Across four independent EMA samples ( N range = 297–396; total N = 1,365; observations per outcome = 5,419–17,735), we investigated how antagonistic traits related to theoretically relevant, EMA-based outcomes (e.g., affect, empathy, coldness-warmth in interpersonal interactions). Results showed robust findings across samples and operationalizations of antagonism (e.g., antagonism’s relation with negative affect), along with more mixed results (e.g., antagonism’s RELATION with different measures of empathy). We discuss future research directions for structural and functional accounts of antagonism.

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