A laboratory study of the effects of goal specificity on the relationship between probability of success and performance

Abstract

175 male undergraduates solved arithmetic problems under 1 of 3 experimental conditions of objective probability of task success and 1 of 2 conditions of goal specificity. The relationship between objective probability of task success and performance was curvilinear in both goal conditions such that maximum performance occurred at the intermediate probability level. There was also an overall linear and positive relationship between Ss' expressed subjective probabilities of success and performance. Results point to the possibility that the relationship between probability of success and performance depends on whether trait or state components are represented in the probability measure. When both trait and state components are represented, the relationship seems to depend on whether Ss have access to cues informing them how close they are to achieving their goal during task performance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)