The effect of distal learning, outcome, and proximal goals on a moderately complex task
实验研究了远端学习目标和结果目标结合近端目标对排课任务绩效的影响，发现具体困难的学习目标比“尽力而为”更能提升绩效，且学习目标组的策略发现更多。
Abstract The effects of learning versus outcome distal goals in conjunction with proximal goals were investigated in a laboratory setting using a class‐scheduling task. The participants ( n = 96) needed to acquire knowledge in order to perform the task correctly. A ‘do your best’ outcome goal led to higher performance than the assignment of a specific, difficult outcome goal. However, the assignment of a specific, difficult learning goal led to higher performance than urging people to ‘do their best.’ Goal commitment was higher in the learning goal than in the outcome goal condition. The correlation between task‐relevant strategies discovered and performance was positive and significant. The number of task‐relevant strategies implemented by participants assigned a distal learning goal in conjunction with proximal goals was higher than in any other goal condition. Setting a distal outcome or learning goal that included proximal outcome goals, however, did not lead to higher performance than the setting of a distal outcome or learning goal alone. Self‐efficacy correlated significantly with performance, and this effect was mediated through strategy development. Furthermore, the discovery of task‐relevant strategies affected self‐efficacy through an increase in performance. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.