The influence of the achievement motive on probability estimates in pre- and post-decisional action phases

In two experiments, the hypothesis was tested that success-oriented and failure-threatened individuals differ in the mindsets they adopt during action phases preceding and following decisions. In Experiment 1, it was demonstrated that people who are deliberating on different actions or goals rate their probability of success for a subsequent task as being lower than people who are going to implement a chosen action or goal. In the mindset theory (Gollwitzer, 1990), this pattern is predicted to foster appropriate goal setting and efficient pursuit of goals. In Experiment 1 this pattern could be shown only for success-oriented individuals. The reverse was true for failure-threatened participants. In Experiment 2, the Motive × Action Phase interaction was replicated with a different measure of probability of success. It is proposed that the ability or inability to adopt the appropriate mindset in the course of action may be one of the mechanisms, which make success, and failure motives self-stabilizing systems.