How future work self affects self-efficacy mechanisms in novel task performance: Applying the anchoring heuristic under uncertainty. (1st December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oh, Sunyoung
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 167(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12-01
• Subjects: Future work self -- Self-efficacy -- Anchoring -- Performance -- Motivation; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110166
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Abstract: The present study addressed the role of individuals' future work self in self-efficacy judgments in novel, challenging activity by examining the effect of activating the future work self on judging self-efficacy under anchoring effects and the relationship between self-efficacy judgments and performance. As predicted, the results show that compared with a neutral condition, activating future work selves led participants to estimate higher self-efficacy in response to anchoring bias, which in turn resulted higher performance. Furthermore, when participants' future work self was activated, the degree to which participants perceived a novel task as meaningful predicted self-efficacy judgments, which in turn had a strong relationship with performance. However, these relationships were not significant in a neutral condition. These findings indicate that individuals' future work self plays an important role in self-efficacy mechanisms by enhancing self-efficacy beliefs that serve individuals' desires in novel settings.