Perceived Gains and Losses, Perceived Constraints in Control, and Goal Orientation in Adulthood

This study investigated how perceived gains and losses relate to goal orientation (striving for gains, maintenance, or loss avoidance) in adulthood and examined the role of control beliefs (measured as perceived constraints in control) as a potential mediator. Data were collected from 404 US adults (18-78 years; 51.0% female) via an online survey measuring these variables in four life domains (happiness, physical fitness, life experiences, and monetary savings). Multilevel path analysis was applied to analyze the data. Regarding direct and total effects, perceived gains positively related to all three types of goal orientation, while perceived losses positively related to loss-avoidance orientation only. Regarding indirect effects, both perceived gains (contrary to our expectation) and losses positively related to perceived constraints in control, and such constraints negatively related to gain orientation and positively related to maintenance/loss-avoidance orientation. These pairwise associations were strong enough to partially account for the relationship between perceived gains/losses and goal orientation, consistent with mediation models with perceived constraints in control as potential mediators. However, alternative explanations cannot be excluded due to the cross-sectional nature of the study. Age moderated the relationships of perceived gains/losses with perceived constraints in control, but not with goal orientation. Most of these relationships exhibited minimal variation across life domains. Overall, this study replicates previous research on the links between gains/losses and goal orientation in a cross-sectional adult sample. It also provides initial evidence for the potential mediating role of control beliefs in these links.