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When Thinking Beats Doing: The Role of Optimistic Expectations in Goal-Based Choice

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  • Ying Zhang
  • Ayelet Fishbach
  • Ravi Dhar

Abstract

We propose that, in the pursuit of ongoing goals, optimistic expectations of future goal pursuit have greater impact on immediate actions than do less optimistic considerations, such as retrospections on past goal pursuit or less optimistic expectations. Further, we propose that the direction of the impact is determined by the framing of goal pursuit: it motivates goal-congruent actions when goal pursuit is framed as commitment to the goal but motivates goal-incongruent actions when the pursuit is framed as progress toward the goal. Four studies provided consistent support for the proposed hypothesis. (c) 2007 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..

Suggested Citation

  • Ying Zhang & Ayelet Fishbach & Ravi Dhar, 2007. "When Thinking Beats Doing: The Role of Optimistic Expectations in Goal-Based Choice," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 34(4), pages 567-578, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:34:y:2007:i:4:p:567-578
    DOI: 10.1086/520071
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Koch, Alexander K. & Nafziger, Julia, 2016. "Goals and bracketing under mental accounting," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 305-351.
    2. Koo, Minjung & Dai, Hengchen & Mai, Ke Michael & Song, Camilla Eunyoung, 2020. "Anticipated temporal landmarks undermine motivation for continued goal pursuit," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 142-157.
    3. JaeHong Park & Prabhudev Konana & Bin Gu & Alok Kumar & Rajagopal Raghunathan, 2013. "Information Valuation and Confirmation Bias in Virtual Communities: Evidence from Stock Message Boards," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 24(4), pages 1050-1067, December.
    4. Rudd, Melanie & Aaker, Jennifer & Norton, Michael I., 2013. "Getting the Most out of Giving: Pursuing Concretely-Framed Prosocial Goals Maximizes Happiness," Research Papers 2129, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    5. Ye Chen & Naiding Yang, 2023. "Investor Responses to Corporate Donation Frequency Strategies: The Mediating Roles of Bidirectional Motive Attributions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-19, October.
    6. Wright, Scott A. & Schultz, Ainslie E., 2022. "Too gritty to indulge: Grit and indulgent food choices," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 173-183.
    7. Hengchen Dai & Katherine L. Milkman & Jason Riis, 2014. "The Fresh Start Effect: Temporal Landmarks Motivate Aspirational Behavior," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(10), pages 2563-2582, October.
    8. Liyin Jin & Yanqun He, 2018. "How the frequency and amount of corporate donations affect consumer perception and behavioral responses," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 46(6), pages 1072-1088, November.
    9. Ricci, Michael A., 2022. "How better client service performance affects auditors' willingness to challenge management's preferred accounting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    10. Som, Anirban & Dubelaar, Chris & Chowdhury, Rafi M.M.I., 2019. "The effects of goal orientation on goal pursuit," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 322-332.
    11. Guofang Huang & Ahmed Khwaja & K. Sudhir, 2015. "Short-Run Needs and Long-Term Goals: A Dynamic Model of Thirst Management," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 34(5), pages 702-721, September.

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