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Goal attainability and performance: Evidence from Boston marathon qualifying standards

Author

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  • Burdina, Mariya
  • Hiller, R. Scott
  • Metz, Neil E.

Abstract

In this paper we test if performance improves once goals become more attainable. Goal-setting literature suggests that workers respond to challenging but achievable goals with increased performance. Empirical evidence supports the notion of goals increasing performance; however the evidence on how attainability of goals affects performance is mixed. This paper tests whether efforts increase, improving performance as the goals become more attainable. We are employing a unique set of publicly available marathon data from 1970 to 2015 to directly analyze the effect of goal attainability on performance. With the probable goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon, we test if runners increase their effort, and consequently improve their performance if they enter a new age group and as a result have a more attainable goal. We find that runners who enter a new age group perform better than the runners whose qualifying time did not change. This effect is seen with runners in younger age groups, but not found in the results of runners in more advanced years.

Suggested Citation

  • Burdina, Mariya & Hiller, R. Scott & Metz, Neil E., 2017. "Goal attainability and performance: Evidence from Boston marathon qualifying standards," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 77-88.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:58:y:2017:i:c:p:77-88
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2017.01.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Harding, Matthew & Hsiaw, Alice, 2014. "Goal setting and energy conservation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 107(PA), pages 209-227.
    2. Brice Corgnet & Joaquín Gómez-Miñambres & Roberto Hernán-González, 2015. "Goal Setting and Monetary Incentives: When Large Stakes Are Not Enough," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(12), pages 2926-2944, December.
    3. Matthew Harding & Alice Hsiaw, 2014. "Goal Setting and Energy Conservation," Working Papers 1403, College of the Holy Cross, Department of Economics, revised Aug 2014.
    4. Mento, Anthony J. & Steel, Robert P. & Karren, Ronald J., 1987. "A meta-analytic study of the effects of goal setting on task performance: 1966-1984," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 52-83, February.
    5. Smithers, Samuel, 2015. "Goals, motivation and gender," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 75-77.
    6. Alice Hsiaw, 2012. "Goal-Setting and Self-Control," Working Papers 1404, College of the Holy Cross, Department of Economics, revised Aug 2014.
    7. Hsiaw, Alice, 2013. "Goal-setting and self-control," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 148(2), pages 601-626.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

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    2. Alex Markle & George Wu & Rebecca White & Aaron Sackett, 2018. "Goals as reference points in marathon running: A novel test of reference dependence," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 19-50, February.
    3. Mariya Burdina & Scott Hiller, 2021. "When Falling Just Short is a Good Thing: The Effect of Past Performance on Improvement," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 22(7), pages 777-798, October.
    4. Chlond, Bettina & Goeschl, Timo & Kesternich, Martin, 2022. "More money or better procedures? Evidence from an energy efficiency assistance program," Working Papers 0716, University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics.
    5. Miller, Danny & Pastoriza, David & Plante, Jean-François, 2019. "Conditioning competitive risk: Competitors’ rank proximity and relative ability," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 161-175.
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    7. James Fan & Joaquín Gómez‐Miñambres & Samuel Smithers, 2020. "Make it too difficult, and I'll give up; let me succeed, and I'll excel: The interaction between assigned and personal goals," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(6), pages 964-975, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Goal-setting; Performance; Effort;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • L83 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Sports; Gambling; Restaurants; Recreation; Tourism
    • Z20 - Other Special Topics - - Sports Economics - - - General

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