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How goal instrumentality shapes relationship evaluations.

Gráinne M Fitzsimons1, James Y Shah

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. grainne@uwaterloo.ca

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|July 31, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Our relationships and how we act depend on our current goals. People favor and approach those who help them achieve their objectives, leading to greater success.

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Area of Science:

  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Self-Regulation

Background:

  • Interpersonal relationships significantly influence self-perception and behavior.
  • The role of personal goals in shaping social interactions is an area of ongoing research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hypothesis that relationship evaluations and behaviors are contingent on the instrumentality of others for active personal goals.
  • To explore how active goals affect the accessibility, evaluation, and approach tendencies toward significant others.

Main Methods:

  • Six experiments were conducted to test the goal-dependency hypothesis.
  • Methods included measuring the accessibility and evaluation of significant others in relation to activated goals.
  • Behavioral approach tendencies and academic success were also assessed.

Main Results:

  • Active goals automatically increase the accessibility of instrumental significant others.
  • Individuals evaluate instrumental others more positively and show greater approach tendencies toward them.
  • Engaging in goal-dependent interpersonal evaluations correlates with higher academic success.

Conclusions:

  • Relationship evaluations and behaviors are dynamically shaped by the self's current goals and the perceived instrumentality of others.
  • Personal goals play a crucial role in the social nature of self-regulation.
  • Understanding goal-dependent interpersonal dynamics offers insights into relationship management and personal achievement.