THE EFFECT OF GOAL SETTING TOWARDS TYPING TASK PERFORMANCE. Murnizam Hj Halik ABSTRACT

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1 THE EFFECT OF GOAL SETTING TOWARDS TYPING TASK PERFORMANCE Murnizam Hj Halik ABSTRACT A labratry-based research was cnducted t study Lcke's ( 1968) gal setting thery. The researcher investigated the effect f gal setting twards typing perfrmance, which was defined in terms f cmpletin lime, and typing errr. Thirty-ne subjects tk part in the experiment. Research findings shwed that typing time decrease when gal is mderately set cmpared t n gal. Hwever, gal setting has negative effect n typing quality. The study cncluded that planning, cnsideratin and assessment are needed befre implementing mtivatin prgram based n gal setting thery. INTRODUCTION Wrk mtivatin theries are a very ppular tl used by managers t increase the perfrmance f their wrkers. Mtivatin is generally defined as an internal state that induces a persn t engage in a particular behavir. It prpels the behavir by the means f arusal, directin and persistence. These three elements can wrk individually but a cmbinatin f these three culd bring psitive results. Arusal refers t the needs and desires f the individuals and directin is the chice f the specific behavir chsen by them while persistence refers t their willingness t prceed against all dds.. Wrk mtivatin theries are primarily divided int tw categries, which are the needs theries and the cgnitive theries. The needs theries such as Need Hierarchy, Tw Factr, Achievement, and Existence Relatedness Grwth thery believed that mtivatin arises frm internal needs. The cgnitive based theries such as Expectancy, Self-Efficacy, Equity, and Gal Setting are cncerned with the dynamics f mtivatin, such as expectatins, thught, and desires f the individuals. All these theries in a way are cmplimentary with each ther. Research had been dne n the applicability f the wrk mtivatin theries in rganizatin settings with varying results. A study by Lcke and Henne (1986) in Spectr (2000) fund that research literatures n self-efficacy and gal-setting theries shwed a high level f supprt amng eight wrk mtivatin theries (Figure 1). Terpstra and Rzell (1994) survey f 201 cmpanies with 200 r mre emplyees shwed that 61 % f thse cmpanies used gal-setting thery as means f increasing emplyees' perfrmance. This research will fcus n the gal setting thery based n Lcke and Henne's (1986) finding.

2 "urn/zam HI. H,Ii" Gal Setting 5 Self EffICacy Reinfrcement Expectancy Equity ERG Need Hierarchy Tw-Factr Figure 1 : Validatin evidence fr eight mtivatin theries. 1 represents little r n empirical supprt fr the thery and 5 represent strng and cnsistent empirical supprt (Lcke & Henne, 1986, taken frm Spectr, 1000). Lcke first prpsed the gal-setting thery in In this thery. Lcke prpsed that gals are immediate regulatrs f human actin. Peple are cnsciusly aware f their gals and are driven twards achieving them. Accrding t Lcke. Shaw, Saari and Latham (1981), when attentin, effrt, persistence, and strategy develpment are being directed in a gal setting prcess, it culd affect the individual's perfrmance. A specific gal may lead t a higher perfrmance than just a "d yur best" gal. Feedback and gal-setting methd were successful in reducing accidents and increase safety in plants (Reber, Wallin, & Chhkar, 1990; Cper & Phillips. 1994). The implementatin f feedback and gal-setting methd has als imprved university admissin staffs' jb satisfactin and prductivity (Wilk & Redmn, 1998). A study by Jessup and Stahelski (1999) shwed that a cmbinatin f feedback, gal setting and rewards imprve emplyees perfrmance. Findings frm Resick and Blm (1997) prved that gals set by a grup shwed less cnflict, greater cmmitment and perfrmance quality cmpared t individual gals. Research dne by Nrdstrm, Hall, Lrenzi and Delquadri (1988) shwed that gal-setting and reward increased percentage f time spent wrking fr typists. On the ther hand, research dne by Yearta, Maitlis, and Briner (1995) fund a negative relatinship between gal difficulty and perfrmance. Kanfear and Ackerman (1989) believed that gal specificity and difficulty might have negative impact n gal setting if the individual lack the necessary skill t perfrm a task (in Winters & Latham, 1996). Wright (1994) acquiesced with this argument by raising the issue f quality trade-ff in gal setting. He cited the research by Bavelas and Lee (1978) wh fund that subjects' quality f perfrmance were negatively related t gal difficulty. An increase f quantitative perfrmance culd lead t a decrease f quality f task perfrmed.

3 77 The Effect f Gal Setting Twards Typing Task Perfrmance Based n these arguments (Kanfear and Ackerman, 1989; Wright, 1994; Yearta et. ai., 1995) this research sught t study the effect f gal setting twards perfrmance in typing task. Perfrmance was peratinally defined in this research as the time taken t cmplete the task and the number f mistakes cmmitted by the subjects. The research has tw hyptheses. The first hypthesis is that there is a significant decrease f typing time in a mderately difficult gal typing task (Trial 2) cmpared t a n-gal typing task (Trial 1). The secnd hypthesis assumes that there is a significant increase in typing errr in Trial 2 cmpared t Trial 1. RESEARCH DESIGN Subjects Thirty fur undergraduate (M= 14, F=20) students participated in the experiment. The mean age was years ld. Three subjects were disqualified fr technical reasns. The subjects were chsen based n their availability and were given a fd cupn upn cmpleting the task. The experiment was held in the Schl f Psychlgy and Scial Wrk cmputer labratry n the last Saturday f August and the first Saturday f September at 8.30 a.m. There were apprximately nine subjects fr each trial and all tgether eight ne-hur sessins f experiment. Measures Fr the first trial, the subject was asked t d the task withut specifying any gal. Fr the secnd trial, the subject was asked t imprve their perfrmance by 20% based n their prir trial. This was a mderately difficult task. There were tw measures f perfrmance in this experiment; time taken t cmplete the typing task and typing errr. The time taken wuld be changed frm minutes int secnds fr statistical reasn. As fr the typing errr, any tw mistakes in a wrd was cnsidered as ne errr. Materials and Design The tasks in discussin were tw articles f similar tpic in Bahasa Malaysia. In rder t hld the task cnsistent, bth articles were designed in a way that they have 496 wrds, 3275 characters (with n spaces), 3772 characters (with spaces), 5 paragraphs and 54 lines. Ten cmputers, a wall clck and three stpwatches were used in each sessin. This was a repeated measures design.

4 Murnlz.m HI. Halik Prcedure At the start f every sessin. the experimenter asked the subjects t pen a wrd prcessing windws and make sure that the keybard and the muse were functining. In the first trial. the experimenter briefed them abut their task. that was t cpy a ne-page article int the wrd prcessr withut specifying any gal. The subjects were asked t raise their hand if they had finished typing. The first article were then distributed t the subjects (faced dwn). When the subjects indicated that they were ready. the experimenter instructed them t start. Upn cmpleting the task. each subjects' time was taken by the experimenter. They were given a ten-minute break after cmpleting Trial I. The same instructin were given t the same subjects fr Trial 2 except that each subject was given a piece f paper that stated their time f cmpletin fr Trial 1 and their expected time f cmpletin fr Trial 2 (i.e. 20% less than Trial 1). The subjects were given individual gals n a piece f paper s it wuld nt distract ther subjects. RESULTS The mean time f typing fr Trial 2 (M= Is) shwed a decrease f 8.8% cmpared t Trial I ( s). The mean typing errr fr Trial 2 (M=25.16) increased by 66.9% cmpared t Trial 1 (M=15.06). The summary is shwn in Figure 2. A paired samples test was emplyed t test the hyptheses. The result frm the first hypthesis (Table I) shwed that subjects' typing time decreased significantly in Trial 2 cmpared t Trial I (1= p<.oooi). Therefre. the null hypthesis was rejected. 100 e ~ e 0 c c.~ 40 ~ 0..J " t,p ~ a ~..a T... 2 T... l IiOOO Typing time Figure 2: Scatter plt f typing time vs typing errr by trial. 78

5 The Effect f Gal Setting Twards Typing Task Perfrmance Table 1: Paired samples test f typing time. Paired Pifferences Mean SD Typing time in Triall -typing time in Trial :rl df Sig. (2-tailed).<XXl The secnd hypthesis indicated that the errrs in Trial 2 increased significantly cmpared t the errrs in Trial 1 (1=3.311, p<.oo2). Thus, the secnd hypthesis was supprted. The result is shwn in Table 2. Table 2: Paired samples test f typing errr Typing errr in Trial I -typing errr in Trial 2 Paired Differences df Mean SD :D Sig. (2-tailed).002 DISCUSSION The results f this research may have sme implicatins fr rganizatins, be they educatin, business r health. This is an extensin f Latham and Yuki (1976) and Yuki and Latham (1978) study. The first hypthesis is cnsistent with prir findings (Lcke & Henne, 1986; Reber et ai., 1990; Cper & Phillips, 1994; Resick & Blm. 1997; Wilk & Redmn, 1998; Jessup & Stahelski, 1999; Seijts & Latham, 2000). The results indicated that subject will increase their effrt when they were cnfrnted with an achievable gal. A practical significance f this study is that gal setting culd be applied t increase the quantitative aspects f human perfrmance if a mderately difficult task is being set. Gal setting methd is a very useful tl fr managers t mtivate emplyees and as mentined by Terpstra and Rzell (1994), rganizatins that emplyed gal setting shwed significant increase f prfit. Furthermre, it culd als increase jb satisfactin due t emplyees' understanding f what was expected f them in perfrming their task. The secnd hypthesis supprted Wright's (1994) argument that the quality f wrk culd be affected by gal setting. We shuld bear in mind that althugh this research and a few thers with similar findings culd nt prve the limitatins f Lcke's thery. researchers in the future shuld take nte f this prblem in gal setting studies. Indeed there was a dearth f research literature abut the effect f gal-setting twards the quality f task perfrmed.

6 liurn/zam HI. Hallie Althugh this research seems t advcate the use f gal setting in rganizatins. there is ne imprtant aspect needed t be taken int cnsideratin. Gal setting had been implemented widely in rganizatin setting even thugh mst f the research were cnducted in field r labratry experiments. It is therefre difficult t gauge the effectiveness f gal setting thery in rganizatinal setting. This matter. as far as the authr is cncerned. is still being discussed by researchers. Yearta and Maitlis (1995) suggested that in rder t measure the effectiveness f gal setting at wrk. rganizatins shuld have clear. precise and bjective gals measurement. In additin, emplyees need t understand what are being expected frm them. There are a cuple f areas in gal setting that shuld be explred by future researchers. First. it is interesting t see if subjects will cntinue t imprve their perfrmance in a cntinuus repetitive task. There is a distant pssibility that gal setting culd nly be applied in a shrt term task r a lnger but less repetitive task. Physical and mental fatigues culd vercme the effect f gal setting in thse repetitive task. Anther fd fr thught is the pssible study that lks int gal setting and achievement thery. Interested researchers culd find ut whether gal setting shuld be based n invividuals' need fr achievement. Culd it be that gal setting shuld be fixed n an individual needs basis r as a grup? Which ne is mre effective? As a cnclusin. there are many areas where gal setting can be beneficial. Its imprtance is still being discussed and explred by researchers. Experimental and field research literature indicated that perfrmance can be imprved and translated int rganizatinal setting. Sme researchers express cautin in implementing gal setting in rganizatins. In shrt. prper planning shuld be dne at the management level befre emplying the gal setting prgram. Cnsideratin shuld be given regarding the psitive and negative impact f gal setting. If the psitive aspects utweight the negative impact f gal setting. the management can prceed with the prper planned implementatin prgram. Finally. a systematic assessment and evaluatin f its use shuld be cnducted ver certain perid f time. The assessment culd be cnducted in every six mnth r ne year perid. This shuld be dne cnstantly s the gal setting prgram is parallel with the bigger picture that is the rganizatin's bjectives.

7 The Effect f Gal Setting Twards Typing Task Perfrmance Berry. L. M. (1997). Psychlgy at wrk (2 nd ed.). Bstn: McGraw Hill. Cper. M. D. & Phillips. R. A. (1994). Reducing accidents using gal setting and feedback. Jurnal f Occupatinal & Organizatinal Psychlgy. 67(3) Jessup. P. A. & Stahelski. A. J. (1999). The effects f a cmbined gal selling. feedback and incentive interventin njb perfrmance in a manufacturing envirnment. Jurnal f Organizatinal Behavir Management. 19(3) Katzell. R. A. & Guzz. R. A. (1983). Psychlgical appraches t prductivity imprvement. American Psychlgist. 38(4) Latham. G P. & Yuki. GA. (1976). Effects f assigned and participative gal setting n perfrmance and jb satisfactin. Jurnal f Applied Psychlgy. 61(2) Lcke. E. A. (1968). Twards a thery f task mtivatin and incentives. Organizatinal Behavir and Human Perfrmance Lcke. E. A. Shaw, K. N. Saari, L. M., & Latham, G P. (1981). Gal selling and IaSk perfrmance: Psychlgical Bulletin Nrdstrm. R., Hall, R. V., Lrenzi, P. D. & Delquadri, 1. (1988). Organizatinal behavir mdificatin in the public sectr: Three field experiments. Jurnal f Organizatinal Behavir Management, 9(2), Reber. R. A., Wallin. J. A., & Chhkar. J. S. (1990). Imprving safety perfrmance with gal selling and feedback. Human-Perfrmance. 3( 1), Resick, C. J., & Blm, A. J. (1997). Effects f gal setting n gal cmmitment. team prcesses, and perfrmance. Psychlgy: A Jurnal f Human Behavir. 34(3-4),2-8. Seijts, G H., & Latham, G P. (2000). The effects f gal setting and grup size n perfrmance in a scial dilemma. Canadian Jurnal f Behaviral Science. 32(2), Spectr, P. E. (2000). Industrial and rganizatinal psychlgy: Research and practia (2 001 ed.). New Yrk: Jhn Wiley.

8 Mum/zam HJ. Hallie Terpstra, D. E., & RzeIl, E. J. (1994). The relatinship f gal setting t rganizatinal prfitability. Grup & Organizatin Management, 19, Wilk, L. A., & Redmn, W. K. (1998). The effects f feedback and gal setting n the prductivity and satisfactin f university admissins staff. Jurnal f Organizatinal Behavir Management. 18( 1), Winters, D., & Latham, G P. (1996). The effect f learning versus utcme gals n a simple versus a cmplex task. Grup & Organizatin Management. 21(2), Wd, R. E., Ment. A. J., & Lcke, E. A. (1987). Task cmplexity as mderatr f gal effects: A meta-analysis. Jurnal f Applied Psychlgy. 72, Wright, P. M. (1994). Gal setting and mnetary incentives: Mtivatinal tls that can wrk t well. Cmpensatin & Benefits Review. 26(3), Yearta, S. K., Maitlis. S., & Briner. R. B. (1995). An explratry study f galsetting in thery and practice: A mtivatinal technique that wrks? Jurnal f Occupatinal & Organizatinal Psychlgy. 68 (3), YukI, G A., & Latham, G P. (1978). Interrelatinships amng emplyee participatin, individual differences. gal difficulty, gal acceptance, gal instrumentality, and perfrmance. Persnnel Psychlgy. 31(2),