An exploratory field experiment of the effect of subconscious and conscious goals on employee performance
Journal
Organizational behavior and human decision processes
ISSN
0749-5978
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2009
Author(s)
Abstract (De)
The effect of both a primed and a conscious goal on performance in the workplace was investigated. The primed goal was pilot tested. People on their way to work ( n = 52) shown a photo of a woman winning a race performed better on a brainstorming task within a 2-min time period than people in the control group. A laboratory experiment ( n = 71) revealed that this primed goal significantly increased the participants’ subconscious need for achievement, as measured by a projective test, relative to those in the control group. A 2 (primed goal vs. control group) × 2 (conscious goal vs. do best goal) factorial design involving call center employees ( n = 81) revealed a main effect for this primed goal, as well as a main effect for a conscious goal for money solicited from donors.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Elsevier Inc.
Volume
109
Number
1
Start page
9
End page
17
Subject(s)
Eprints ID
269260