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Motivational Goal Bracketing

Author

Listed:
  • Koch, Alexander K.

    (Aarhus University)

  • Nafziger, Julia

    (Aarhus University)

Abstract

It is a puzzle why people often evaluate consequences of choices separately (narrow bracketing) rather than jointly (broad bracketing). We study the hypothesis that a present-biased individual, who faces two tasks, may bracket his goals narrowly for motivational reasons. Goals motivate because they serve as reference points that make substandard performance psychologically painful. A broad goal allows high performance in one task to compensate for low performance in the other. This partially insures against the risk of falling short of ones' goal(s), but creates incentives to shirk in one of the tasks. Narrow goals have a stronger motivational force and thus can be optimal. In particular, if one task outcome becomes known before working on the second task, narrow bracketing is always optimal.

Suggested Citation

  • Koch, Alexander K. & Nafziger, Julia, 2009. "Motivational Goal Bracketing," IZA Discussion Papers 4471, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp4471
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Koch, Alexander K. & Nafziger, Julia, 2011. "Goals and Psychological Accounting," IZA Discussion Papers 5802, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Dalton, P.S. & Gonzalez Jimenez, V.H. & Noussair, C.N., 2015. "Paying with Self-Chosen Goals : Incentives and Gender Differences," Discussion Paper 2015-021, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    3. Dalton, P.S. & Gonzalez Jimenez, V.H. & Noussair, Charles, 2016. "Self-Chosen Goals : Incentives and Gender Differences (revision of 2015-021)," Discussion Paper 2016-036, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    4. Koch, Alexander K. & Nafziger, Julia, 2016. "Goals and bracketing under mental accounting," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 305-351.
    5. Gonzalez Jimenez, Victor, 2016. "Believe Me, You are (not) that Bad," Other publications TiSEM 25ded0a5-f9c2-48d9-befe-5, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    6. Alexander K. Koch & Julia Nafziger, 2019. "Correlates of Narrow Bracketing," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 121(4), pages 1441-1472, October.
    7. Patrick Kampkötter & Kathrin Marggraf & Jan-Hendrik Zimmermann, 2017. "Determinants and effects of formal target agreements: an empirical investigation of German firms," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    goals; multiple tasks; motivational bracketing; self-control; time inconsistency; psychology;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines
    • C70 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - General
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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