Goal Setting and Behavior Change
The Stronger By Science Podcast
Is There a Good Vibe Approach to Goal Setting?
Good vibes approaches to goal setting tend to work better. Research shows low self efficacy is correlated with really positive behavior change, but research very conclusively shows the opposite to be true in most cases. When we want to solve a problem, we should try to consult with relevant evidence if it's available.
In preparation for the new year (and the resolutions that come with it), today’s episode is all about goal setting and behavior change. Eric and Greg have a long, evidence-based conversation about the research on setting effective goals and successfully changing health behaviors. The discussion yields several evidence-based tips for setting better goals and maximally supporting your ability to achieve them.
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TIME STAMPS
Intro/Announcements (0:00)
Road to the Stage / Road to Athens (2:29)
Feats of Strength (4:12)
Research Review: Goal setting and behavior change (9:54)
Fake urgency (12:06)
Success rates of New Year’s Resolutions (14:36)
- Auld lang syne: success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year's resolvers and nonresolvers
- A large-scale experiment on New Year's resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals
Temporal landmarks (22:19)
- The Fresh Start Effect: Temporal Landmarks Motivate Aspirational Behavior
- Anticipated Temporal Landmarks Undermine Motivation for Continued Goal Pursuit
SMART goals (27:31)
Creating a goal hierarchy (30:19)
Superordinate goals (34:16)
Equifinality and Multifinality (41:12)
Mental contrasting (44:12)
- Mental contrasting for health behaviour change: a systematic review and meta-analysis of effects and moderator variables
- A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Mental Contrasting With Implementation Intentions on Goal Attainment
Approach versus avoidance (52:37)
Flexible versus rigid restraint (56:16)
Process versus outcome (1:01:28)
Mastery versus performance (1:06:05)
Goal difficulty; “slack with a cost” (1:13:44)
- Goal Setting and Action Planning for Health Behavior Change
- The Benefits of Emergency Reserves: Greater Preference and Persistence for Goals that Have Slack with a Cost
Setting specific goals (1:23:12)
Implementation intentions (1:23:47)
- A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Mental Contrasting With Implementation Intentions on Goal Attainment
- Holding the Hunger Games Hostage at the Gym: An Evaluation of Temptation Bundling
Stimulus control; modifying your environment (1:30:24)
Social support and feedback (1:33:08)
- Periodic Prompts and Reminders in Health Promotion and Health Behavior Interventions: Systematic Review
- Designing in-app messages to nudge behavior change: Lessons learned from a weight management app for young adults
How MacroFactor supports evidence-based goal striving and behavior change (1:45:06)
To Play Us Out: Protein Bread, Winter Break (1:54:54)
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