Diskuze v psychologii 2022, 4(2):84-91 | DOI: 10.5507/dvp.2023.008
Frozen goals in the context of the developmental characteristics of emerging adulthood
Frozen goals are goals that a person neither actively strives for, nor gives up on (Davydenko et al., 2019). The aim of this paper was to examine frozen goals in the context of the developmental period of emerging adulthood. 345 respondents aged 18-29 took part in the research with an average age of 22.59 years (SD = 2.57). Frozen goals were characterized by lower goal commitment and lower goal self-efficacy compared to active goals. Goal self-efficacy negatively correlated with instability/negativity for both frozen and active goals. Positive correlations were shown between goal self-efficacy and identity exploration in frozen goals and between goal self-efficacy and experimentation in active goals. The relationship between goal type (frozen vs. active) and chosen goal characteristics (goal commitment, goal self-efficacy) was not moderated by any of the developmental characteristics.
Keywords: frozen goals; active goals; goal commitment; goal self-efficacy; emerging adulthood
Received: April 20, 2023; Revised: August 12, 2023; Accepted: August 27, 2023; Published: November 22, 2023 Show citation
References
- Arnett, J. J. (2005). The developmental context of substance use in emerging adulthood. Journal of drug issues, 35(2), 235-254. https://doi.org/10.1177/002204260503500202
Go to original source...
- Arnett, J. J. (2014). Emerging adulthood: The winding road from the late teens through the twenties. Oxford University Press.
Go to original source...
- Arnett, J. J. (2018). Conceptual Foundations of Emerging Adulthood. In J. L. Murray & J. J. Arnett (Eds.), Emerging Adulthood and Higher Education: A New Student Development Paradigm (s. 11-24). Routledge.
Go to original source...
- Brandstätter, V., & Herrmann, M. (2016). Goal disengagement in emerging adulthood: The adaptive potential of action crises. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 40(2), 117-125. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025415597550
Go to original source...
- Cross, S., & Markus, H. (1991). Possible selves across the life span. Human Development, 34(4), 230-255. https://doi.org/10.1159/000277058
Go to original source...
- Davydenko, M., Werner, K. M., Milyavskaya, M., & Donnellan, M. B. (2019). Frozen goals: Identifying and defining a new type of goal. Collabra: Psychology, 5(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.194
Go to original source...
- Dickson, J. M., Moberly, N. J., & Kinderman, P. (2011). Depressed people are not less motivated by personal goals but are more pessimistic about attaining them. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 120(4), 975-980. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023665
Go to original source...
- Dietrich, J., Shulman, S., & Nurmi, J. E. (2013). Goal pursuit in young adulthood: The role of personality and motivation in goal appraisal trajectories across 6 years. Journal of Research in Personality, 47(6), 728-737. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2013.06.004
Go to original source...
- Faas, C., McFall, J., Peer, J. W., Schmolesky, M. T., Chalk, H. M., Hermann, A., Chopik, W. J., Leighton, D. C., Lazzara, J., Kemp, A., DiLillio, V. & Grahe, J. (2020). Emerging adulthood MoA/IDEA-8 scale characteristics from multiple institutions. Emerging Adulthood, 8(4), 259-269. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696818811192
Go to original source...
- Gollwitzer, P. M. (1990). Action phases and mind-sets. In E. T. Higgins & R. M. Sorrentino (Eds.), Handbook of motivation and cognition: Foundations of social behavior. (s. 53-92). Guilford Press.
- Heckhausen, H., & Gollwitzer, P. M. (1987). Thought contents and cognitive functioning in motivational versus volitional states of mind. Motivation and emotion, 11(2), 101-120. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992338
Go to original source...
- Hill, P. L., Jackson, J. J., Roberts, B. W., Lapsley, D. K., & Brandenberger, J. W. (2011). Change you can believe in: Changes in goal setting during emerging and young adulthood predict later adult well-being. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2(2), 123-131. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550610384510
Go to original source...
- Hollenbeck, J., & Klein, H. K. (1987). Goal commitment and the goal setting process: Problems, prospects, and proposals for future research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 72(2), 212-220. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.72.2.212
Go to original source...
- Hubley, C., & Scholer, A. A. (2022). Melting COVID-frozen goals: How goal disengagement supports well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Motivation and Emotion, 46(6), 752-768. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-022-09959-w
Go to original source...
- Klein, H. J., Cooper, J. T., Molloy, J. C., & Swanson, J. A. (2014). The assessment of commitment: Advantages of a unidimensional, target-free approach. Journal of Applied Psychology, 99(2), 222-238. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034751
Go to original source...
- Klein, H. J., Molloy, J. C., & Brinsfield, C. T. (2012). Reconceptualizing Workplace Commitment to Redress a Stretched Construct: Revisiting Assumptions and Removing Confounds. Academy of Management Review, 37(1), 130-151. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2010.0018
Go to original source...
- Kvasková, L., Širůček, J., Ježek, S., Hrubá, L., Lacinová, L., & Macek, P. (2020). Personal goals and identity of czech university students. Emerging Adulthood, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696820917813
Go to original source...
- Luyckx, K., Lens, W., Smits, I., & Goossens, L. (2010). Time perspective and identity formation: Short-term longitudinal dynamics in college students. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 34(3), 238-247. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025409350957
Go to original source...
- Milyavskaya, M., & Werner, K. M. (2018). Goal pursuit: Current state of affairs and directions for future research. Canadian Psychology/psychologie canadienne, 59(2), 163-175. https://doi.org/10.1037/cap0000147
Go to original source...
- Niesta, D., & Elliot, A. (2009). Goals in the context of the hierarchical model of approach-avoidance motivation . In G. B. Moskowitz, H. Grant, (Eds.), The psychology of goals (s. 56-76). The Guilford Press.
- Nurmi, J.E., Salmela-Aro, K., & Koivisto, P. (2002). Goal importance, and related agency-beliefs and emotions during the transition from vocational school to work: Antecedents and consequences. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 60(2), 241-261. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.2001.1866
Go to original source...
- Oettingen, G., & Gollwitzer, P. M. (2007). Goal setting and Goal Striving. In A. Tesser & N. Schwartz. (Eds.), Blackwell Handbook of Social Psychology: Intraindividual Processes (s. 329-347). Wiley Blackwell.
Go to original source...
- Pomaki, G., Karoly, P., & Maes, S. (2009). Linking goal progress to subjective well-being at work: The moderating role of goal-related self-efficacy and attainability. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 14(2), 206-218. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014605
Go to original source...
- Ranta, M., Dietrich, J., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2014). Career and romantic relationship goals and concerns during emerging adulthood. Emerging Adulthood, 2(1), 17-26. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696813515852
Go to original source...
- Reifman, A., Arnett, J. J., & Colwell, M. J. (2007). Emerging Adulthood: Theory, Assessment and Application. Journal of Youth Development, 2(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2007.359
Go to original source...
- Salmela-Aro, K., Aunola, K., & Nurmi, J.-E. (2008). Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms During Emerging Adulthood. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 5(4), 439-465. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405620600867014
Go to original source...
- Turner, J. J., Wilmoth, J. D., & Phillips, T. M. (2014). What do you want to accomplish in the next 10 years? The goals of emerging adults. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 2(3), 87-96.
Go to original source...
- Wrosch, C., Scheier, M. F., Carver, C. S., & Schulz, R. (2003). The importance of goal disengagement in adaptive self-regulation: When giving up is beneficial. Self and Identity, 2(1), 1-20. https://doi. org/10.1080/15298860309021
Go to original source...
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.