THE ROLE OF GOAL SPECIFICITY IN INITIAL AND SUBSEQUENT DECISIONS REGARDING CONSUMPTION OF HEALTHY OR UNHEALTHY FOODS

摘要

The present research examines whether goal specificity can assist in explaining why consumers, especially dieters, so often fail to meet their goals. Goal specificity, defined as the "ambiguity or diffuseness in the exact level of performance desired" (Wright and Kacmar 1994, p. 243), can differ among individual goals. For example, goals can be framed as "specific" goals which are restrictive and have a concrete end point (e.g., lose 20 pounds in six weeks), or as "do-your-best" goals which are vague, less restrictive, and lack a set completion point (e.g., lose weight) (Locke and Latham 2002). A specific goal is "the object or aim of an action, for example, to attain a specific standard of proficiency, usually within a specified time limit" (Locke and Latham 2002, p. 705). Do-your-best goals, on the other hand, still call for action, but, are more vaguely defined without a specific level of performance, and, often without a specified time limit.