Focus on Outcomes or on Effort: The Role of Self-efficacy on Influencing Expectations

In this dissertation, I investigate how differences in the manner via which individuals pursue goals (judging effort from outcome or outcome from effort) influences expectations (effort vs. outcome). In particular, I focus on the role of self-efficacy, and show that when individuals focus on outcomes, they take self-efficacy into consideration when assessing how much effort is needed. However, when focusing on effort, individuals do not take self-efficacy into consideration when making judgments of outcomes. Thus, I find that irrespective of differences in self-efficacy, individuals expect similar outcomes when effort invested is the same. I report findings from six studies, and discuss theoretical and managerial implications.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Business, Marketing

Department dc:contributor.department

Marketing

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Lee, Yong Kyu

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Herr, Paul Michael
• Bagchi, Rajesh

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Cheema, Amar
• Nakamoto, Kent
• Bagchi, Rajesh

• Goal-pursuit
• Goal-setting
• Self-efficacy
• Expectations

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:5193

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/52941