Personal goals, motivational orientations and subjective well-being: independent or mediated effects?

The independent effect of goal content and goal motives on subjective well-being is a matter of controversy between proponents and opponents of self-determination theory. Within the framework of this debate, the present study investigated the relationships between goal content (intrinsic vs. extrinsic), goal orientations (task orientation vs. performance orientation) and well-being (self-esteem, life satisfaction), within a sample of 333 adults from the general population. Results showed that (a) intrinsic goals and task orientation were positively associated, while extrinsic goals and performance orientation were positively related; (b) well-being was associated with intrinsic goals, but not with extrinsic ones, nor with the interaction between both types of goal content; (c) the relationship between intrinsic goals and well-being was completely mediated by task orientation. These results highlight the importance to consider main effects rather than relative effects of goal content and motives. Theoretical implications of the results for self-regulation are discussed.