Plans Are More Helpful When One Perseveres: The Moderating Role of Persistence in the Relationship Between Implementation Intentions and Goal Progress

Abstract

Two studies investigated whether one dimension of action–state orientation, namely, persistence-volatility, would moderate the effect of implementation intentions on goal progress. Results from Study 1 indicated that spontaneous implementation intentions predicted goal progress 2 weeks later only among participants who scored high on persistence. In Study 2, participants were randomly allocated to an implementation intentions group and a control group. Results indicated that persistence was positively associated with goal progress among participants in the implementation intentions group but not among those in the control group. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings were discussed.

Notes

Note. N = 148 for Variables 1 to 5; N = 132 for Variable 6.

*p < .05. **p < .01.

Note. N = 132.

†p < .10. *p < .05. **p < .01.

¹A similar interaction effect of Persistence × Implementation Intentions was obtained when not controlling for the main effects of initiative and disengagement (β = .20, t = 2.45, p < .05) or when not controlling for the interactions between initiative and implementation intentions and between disengagement and implementation intentions (β = −.09, t = −1.03, ns; β = .20, t = 2.42, p < .05).

Note. N = 57 in both the implementation intentions group and the control group. Values in parentheses are from the implementation intentions group.

*p < .05. **p < .01.

Note. N = 114.

^a 0 = control group; 1 = implementation intentions group.

^† p < .10. *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

²A similar interaction effect of Persistence × Implementation Intentions was obtained when not controlling for the main effects of initiative and disengagement (β = .30, t = 2.26, p < .05), or when not controlling for the interactions between initiative and implementation intentions and between disengagement and implementation intentions (β = .31, t = 2.32, p < .05).

^a Reverse scored. bRemoved because of low item-scale correlation.