A new mindset for realising personal goals

Individuals may be motivated by two key types of goals. They may primarily aim to improve their current state (an attainment goal), or they may primarily aim to maintain it (a maintenance goal). Similarly, organisations may set such goals for individuals in several domains (saving, weight management, learning, performance feedback etc.) Thus, understanding attainment versus maintenance goals can have many societal implications, and determine the benefits of goal success for both individuals and organisations. The project 'Comparing the properties and the consequences of attainment versus maintenance goals' (ATTMAIN) focused on comparing attainment and maintenance goals and their properties. Its main goals were to empirically define the differences between the two and to invite future research in the field.

The first paper of several developed throughout the project showed that individuals perceive maintenance goals as harder than modest attainment goals. This abstract perception is also demonstrated in actual consumer choices.

Another paper (forthcoming in the Journal of Consumer Research) demonstrated how consumers with an independent, rather than an interdependent self-construal, are more motivated to pursue attainment, rather than maintenance goals – and vice versa. For example, a savings account with an independent vs. an interdependent frame (saving for one’s self vs. family) is more appealing when its terms are defined as balance attainment vs. balance maintenance, and vice versa.

A paper was also developed concerning satisfaction and social comparisons (forthcoming in Human Resource Management). This revealed that when individuals are evaluated relatively, they might be satisfied with a lower absolute performance feedback. Given the frequency of relative evaluation systems in big companies, universities etc., these findings highlight the need for a deeper investigation of relative comparisons, and when they can be motivating or de-motivating.

Finally, studies on visual perception demonstrated that 'asymmetry' is semantically associated with the notion of 'excitement'. This conceptual correspondence between the two is strong enough to affect consumer preferences, as well as the marketplace value of the brand. This paper proposes that brand managers and companies should pay attention to the – often neglected – effects of logo design brand equity.

The research conducted through this project will have positive societal implications on three levels. First, it can improve individuals’ (consumers or workers) welfare and satisfaction. Second, it can improve the relations between organisations and individuals. Third, it can improve the financial performance of organisations in the marketplace.