Immediate Rewards Predict Adherence to Long-Term Goals

doi:10.1177/0146167216676480

Paper

Immediate Rewards Predict Adherence to Long-Term Goals

Published Feb 1, 2017 · Kaitlin Woolley, Ayelet Fishbach

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

Q1 SJR score

78

Citations

0

Influential Citations

Full textSemantic Scholar

Abstract

People primarily pursue long-term goals, such as exercising, to receive delayed rewards (e.g., improved health). However, we find that the presence of immediate rewards is a stronger predictor of persistence in goal-related activities than the presence of delayed rewards. Specifically, immediate rewards (e.g., enjoyment) predicted current persistence at New Year’s resolutions whereas delayed rewards did not (Study 1). Furthermore, immediate rewards predicted persistence in a single session of studying and exercising whereas delayed rewards did not, even though people report primarily pursuing these activities for delayed rewards (Studies 2 and 3). This is true for both short (1 week) and long (3 month) time frames (Study 4), and regardless of whether anticipated or materialized rewards are assessed (Study 5). Overall, whereas delayed rewards may motivate goal setting and the intentions to pursue long-term goals, a meta-analysis of our studies finds that immediate rewards are more strongly associated with actual persistence in a long-term goal.

Highly Cited

Study Snapshot

Immediate rewards are a stronger predictor of persistence in goal-related activities than delayed rewards, regardless of whether anticipated or materialized rewards are assessed.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

Sign up to use Study Snapshot

Consensus is limited without an account. Create an account or sign in to get more searches and use the Study Snapshot.

Create an account

Paper

Immediate Rewards Predict Adherence to Long-Term Goals

Sign up to use Study Snapshot

References

Interest Matters

Promoting interest in learning through attention-getting settings, prior interest contexts, problem-based learning, and enhancing utility value can lead to more engaged and motivated students.

For the Fun of It: Harnessing Immediate Rewards to Increase Persistence in Long-Term Goals

Immediate rewards, such as enjoyment and external rewards, are stronger predictors of persistence in long-term health and academic activities than delayed rewards.

The Hidden Cost of Personal Quantification

Personal quantification can increase activity frequency but may reduce enjoyment and well-being due to its impact on intrinsic motivation.

The steps that can take us miles: Examining the short-term dynamics of long-term daily goal pursuit.

Cybernetic principles apply to understanding goal pursuit in daily life, with testing and temptations leading to goal progress and self-control operations.

Narcissists of a Feather Flock Together

Similarity in narcissism significantly predicts similarity in all Big Five domains, with stronger effects for male friends than female or mixed friends.

Citations

Effects of Different Exercise Doses Through an Augmented Reality Exergame in Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

A higher dose of exergaming effectively achieves moderate physical intensity and is well-tolerated and enjoyed by older adults, with no serious adverse effects reported.

Weight stigma: Do we believe that everyone can enjoy healthy behaviors?

People's beliefs about what people with heavy body types enjoy are narrow and inflexible, affecting their perception of enjoyment of healthy and unhealthy behaviors.

'Pleasureful self-control'? A new perspective on old problems.

Pleasure can support self-control in achieving long-term goals, persisting in pursuit, and resisting temptations, offering a new perspective on societal challenges.

Attitude, Habit Strength, and the Relationship Between Intention and Leisure-Time Physical Activity Behavior Among College Students.

Stronger habit strength positively moderates the relationship between intention and actual leisure-time physical activity behavior among college students, with affective attitude significantly influencing habit strength.

Emotion regulation and self-control: Same same but different… and even incompatible?

Inhibitory self-control and prohedonic emotion regulation are generally incompatible concerns, as resisting pleasurable desires leads to increased negative affect and increased likelihood of self-control failure.

Large Language Model Agents for Improving Engagement with Behavior Change Interventions: Application to Digital Mindfulness

Large Language Model agents with friendly personas significantly improve engagement in mindfulness exercises, potentially bridging the social support gap in digital health interventions.

Trends in Exercise-Related Internet Search Keywords by Sex, Age, and Lifestyle: Infodemiological Study

Males show more interest in individual activities like running, while females prefer group activities like Pilates, with high search activity in the 40-49 age group.