The action crisis – Antecedents and consequences

Project 1: The action crisis – Antecedents and consequences

Persistence in the pursuit of and disengagement from personal goals are two pivotal aspects of successful goal striving. Yet, previous motivational theorizing focused primarily on self-regulatory processes that are triggered after a goal intention (commitment to a goal) had been formed and that support the pursuit of the goal. Comparatively little is known about goal disengagement processes, a fact that may be attributable to the implicit assumption underlying self-regulation theories of goal striving. Therein, it is posited that the pursuit of a goal, once a goal has been implemented, will run smoothly, due to volitional mechanisms (e.g., action control strategies, Kuhl, 1984; mindsets, Gollwitzer, 1990, 2012). However, this is, as we all know from everyday experiences, not always the case. Goal striving is sometimes hampered by recurring difficulties and/or decreasing attractiveness of the goal leaving the individual stuck between the conflicting tendencies of continuing on the goal or letting it go. This critical phase, characterized by the decisional conflict between further goal pursuit and disengagement from the goal, is defined as action crisis and constitutes the focus of our research. We look at the specific cognitive orientation (mindset) in an action crisis, its consequences on psychological and physical well-being as well as on goal-related performance. Moreover, we scrutinize the role of specific personal difference variables (e.g., self-regulatory competencies like action orientation; Kuhl, 1984) in the emergence of and coping with an action crisis. In addition to these basic research questions, we also pursue a more applied strand of research. More concretely, in a larger cooperation project with a public educational institution we look at goal related processes in the context of challenging vocational goals (e.g., successfully complete a professional training).

Prof. Dr. Veronika Brandstätter

Dr. Mirjam Ghassemi Tabrizi

Dr. Benjamin Wolf

Swiss National Science Foundation SNSF (PI: Veronika Brandstätter)

Stiftung Suzanne und Hans Biäsch zur Förderung der Angewandten Psychologie (PI: Mirjam Ghassemi Tabrizi; Benjamin Wolf)

Stiftung zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung an der UZH (PI: Veronika Brandstätter)

Bettschart, M., Herrmann, M., Wolf, B. M., & Brandstätter, V. (2020). Investigating the Unified Motive Scales: The predictive validity of the achievement motive subscale. European Journal of Psychological Assessment. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000571

Bettschart, M., Herrmann, M., Wolf, B. M., & Brandstätter, V. (2019). The seed of goal-related doubts: A longitudinal investigation of the roles of failure and expectation of success among police trainee applicants. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2151. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02151

Herrmann, M., Brandstätter, V., & Wrosch, C. (2019). Downgrading goal-relevant resources in action crises: The moderating role of goal reengagement capacities and effects on well-being. Motivation and Emotion. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-019-09755-z

Wolf, B. M., Herrmann, M., Zubler, I., & Brandstätter, V. (2019). Action crises in personal goals compromise recovery during physical therapy. Motivation Science, 5(2), 179-184. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000106  

Wolf, B. M., Herrmann, M., & Brandstätter, V. (2018). Self-efficacy vs. action orientation: Comparing and contrasting two determinants of goal setting and goal striving. Journal of Research in Personality, 73, 35-45. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2017.11.001

Ghassemi, M., Bernecker, K., Herrmann, M., & Brandstätter, V. (2017). The process of disengagement from personal goals: Reciprocal influences between the experience of action crisis and appraisals of goal desirability and attainability. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 43(4), 524-537. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167216689052  

Brandstätter, V., & Herrmann, M. (2015). Goal disengagement in emerging adulthood: The adaptive potential of action crises. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 40, 117-125. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025415597550  

Herrmann, M., & Brandstätter, V. (2015). Action crises and goal disengagement: Longitudinal evidence on the predictive validity of a motivational phase in goal striving. Motivation Science, 1(2), 121-136. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000016

Herrmann, M., Baur, V., Brandstätter, V., Hänggi, J., & Jäncke, L. (2014). Being in two minds: The neural basis of experiencing action crises in personal long-term goals. Social Neuroscience, 9(6). 548-561. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2014.933715  

Brandstätter, V., Herrmann, M., & Schüler, J. (2013). The struggle of giving up personal goals: Affective, physiological, and cognitive consequences of an action crisis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 39(12), 1668-1682. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167213500151

Brandstätter, V., & Schüler, J. (2013). Action crisis and cost–benefit thinking: A cognitive analysis of a goal-disengagement phase. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 49(3), 543-553. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.10.004  

Herrmann, M., & Brandstätter, V. (2013). Overcoming action crises in personal goals – Longitudinal evidence on a mediating mechanism between action orientation and well-being. Journal of Research in Personality, 47(6), 881-893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2013.09.005