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How goal instrumentality shapes relationship evaluations.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Fitzsimons, GM; Shah, JY
Published in: Journal of personality and social psychology
August 2008

Findings from 6 experiments support the hypothesis that relationship evaluations and behavioral tendencies are goal dependent, reflecting the instrumentality of significant others for the self's progress toward currently active goals. Experiments 1 and 3 found that active goals can automatically bring to mind significant others who are instrumental for the activated goal, heightening their accessibility relative to noninstrumental others. Experiments 2-5 found that active goals cause individuals to evaluate instrumental others more positively, draw closer to them, and approach them more readily, compared with noninstrumental others. Experiment 6 found that people who engage in goal-dependent interpersonal evaluations are more successful, receiving higher grades. Implications for understanding the social nature of self-regulation and the impact of personal goals on interpersonal relationships are discussed.

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Published In

Journal of personality and social psychology

DOI

EISSN

1939-1315

ISSN

0022-3514

Publication Date

August 2008

Volume

95

Issue

2

Start / End Page

319 / 337

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Support
  • Social Psychology
  • Social Perception
  • Social Control, Informal
  • Male
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Intention
  • Humans
  • Goals
  • Female
 

Citation

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Fitzsimons, G. M., & Shah, J. Y. (2008). How goal instrumentality shapes relationship evaluations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95(2), 319–337. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.95.2.319
Fitzsimons, Gráinne M., and James Y. Shah. “How goal instrumentality shapes relationship evaluations.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 95, no. 2 (August 2008): 319–37. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.95.2.319.
Fitzsimons GM, Shah JY. How goal instrumentality shapes relationship evaluations. Journal of personality and social psychology. 2008 Aug;95(2):319–37.
Fitzsimons, Gráinne M., and James Y. Shah. “How goal instrumentality shapes relationship evaluations.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 95, no. 2, Aug. 2008, pp. 319–37. Epmc, doi:10.1037/0022-3514.95.2.319.
Fitzsimons GM, Shah JY. How goal instrumentality shapes relationship evaluations. Journal of personality and social psychology. 2008 Aug;95(2):319–337.

Published In

Journal of personality and social psychology

DOI

EISSN

1939-1315

ISSN

0022-3514

Publication Date

August 2008

Volume

95

Issue

2

Start / End Page

319 / 337

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Support
  • Social Psychology
  • Social Perception
  • Social Control, Informal
  • Male
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Intention
  • Humans
  • Goals
  • Female