Goal attainment expectancy and goal commitment: Relationships with age, gender and solution-focused scaling

Abstract

Two of the most important variables in coaching and goal attainment are (goal attainment) expectancy and (goal) commitment. The present study examined how these variables relate to age, gender and solution-focused scaling. 130 participants – randomly assigned to a binary or scaling condition – were asked to identify an aspect of their lives with which they were dissatisfied. In the binary condition, participants indicated whether they were succeeding in the area that they had identified. In the scaling condition, participants rated the amount of success that they were having on a scale. Dependent variables were expectancy and commitment. Results indicated that age was negatively associated with expectancy (especially amongst males), whilst expectancy was positively associated with commitment. Scaling apparently did not enhance expectancy or commitment but scaling scores did predict expectancy. Amongst participants under the age of 30, females had lower expectancy than males. Results have important implications for coaching psychologists. Coaches would do well to consider clients’ age and gender when working on expectancy. In addition, if clients can be led to consider current performance as (at least partially) successful then they may be more likely to expect further success.