Failure Avoidance Motivation in a Goal-Setting Situation

This study examines the relationships among failure avoidance, performance, and related variables in a goal-setting situation. Failure avoidance has been relatively ignored in research investigating the impact of dispositional factors in goal-setting situations. As a precursor to important goal mechanisms, failure avoidance was considered in light of Locke's (1991) motivational sequence framework for motivational processes. College students (N = 171) responded to a survey assessing performance goals, self-efficacy, and other pertinent variables, and then completed an idea-generating task. The results show that failure avoidance was negatively correlated with self-efficacy, goal commitment, and task performance. The relationship between failure avoidance and performance was mediated by relationships with self-efficacy and personal goals. Goal commitment moderated the relationship between personal goals and performance. The results of this study are discussed in terms of Locke's motivational sequence, suggesting that failure avoidance motivation, although overlooked, has important consequences in goal-setting situations.