2013 Volume 84 Issue 2 Pages 112-118
In terms of goal management, this study examined whether progress toward one goal (health goal) leads to goal shifting to another goal (fulfill one’s appetite). In the experiment, 47 participants were asked to drink the same quantity of vegetable juice out of either a large or a small cup. Then they rated how hungry they were at that moment. Results showed that participants who drank out of a small cup reported a sense of feeling hungrier than those who drank out of a large cup because the former perceived progress toward a health goal more than the latter. Furthermore, concern with daily intake of vegetables moderated this tendency. Participants who were less concerned with daily intake of vegetables were more likely to report feeling hungrier after drinking out of a small cup (versus a large cup). These results support our hypothesis. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these mechanisms for self-regulation.
