Goal Setting Theory: Application in Public Health Interventions

This assignment focuses on goal-setting theory, a motivational theory developed by Edwin Locke, which emphasizes the impact of setting clear, challenging goals and receiving feedback on performance. The assignment covers the theory's core principles: clarity, challenge, commitment, feedback, and task complexity, as well as the four mechanisms that guide it: direct attention, energizing, task persistence, and effective strategies. It explores how goal-setting theory has been utilized in behavioral intervention research to address and prevent negative behaviors, offering individuals control over their environment. The assignment then proposes nutrition, physical activity, and obesity as a public health problem that could benefit from goal-setting theory, suggesting strategies for behavior change and the importance of feedback. References from Lunenburg, Locke & Latham, and others are included to support the analysis.

Goal Setting Theory
Goal-setting theory is a hypothesis which was created by Edwin Locke to show the
impact that setting goals and feedback can be motivating factors to achieve a success. According
to Lunenburg (2011), this theory creates emphasis on the importance of relationship between
goals and performance. Specific challenging goals along with appropriate feedback have the
ability to contribute to a better and higher task performance. Basically, the type and quality of
goals set have an impact on the outcome. This theory is based on five principles; that is clarity,
challenge, commitment, feedback and task complexity (Locke & Latham, 2012). Clarity involves
a clear and measurable goal with a definite time set for completion, challenge entails a decent
level of motivating difficulty and commitment involves deliberate efforts put towards achieving
the goal. Feedback is the method set up to receive information regarding the progress made on
achieving the goal while task complexity is realistic timescales taken to achieve the goal. It is
important to note that goal-setting theory is guided by four mechanisms namely direct attention,
energizing, task persistence and effective strategies.
How goal-setting theory has been used before in behavioral intervention research
Goal-setting is a common feature of behavioral change interventions. In behavioral
intervention research, this theory has been used to solve or prevent certain behaviors that may
negatively affect an individual (Bartholomew, & Mullen, 2011). To ensure that such behaviors
do not persist, goal-setting theory has been used to explore behavior interventions that can be
used eliminate given behaviors by using a control group of people. Using goal-setting theory to
prevent certain behaviors has given individuals the opportunity to exert control in their
environment. Moreover, it has given the researchers the mechanisms of identifying and figuring

out the common behaviors and determining the course of action. Goal setting theory has also
been used by the researchers to assess problems and improve behavior outcomes. Bartholomew
& Mullen (2011) argue that goal-setting theory has been used in research to report on the most
effective behavioral interventions, to identify the behaviors and determinants of behavior related
issues as well as to explicate on the causal models. Moreover, it has been used to challenge and
extend the existing knowledge.
Public Health Problem That Can Benefit From Goal Setting Theory
A public health problem that can benefit from is nutrition, physical activity and obesity.
The overall health of an individual depends on good nutrition, physical activity and healthy body
weight. This is because they help reduce risks of serious health conditions. Observing a good
diet, regular exercise and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight are essential in managing
health conditions. This health problem can benefit from goal setting theory by coming up with
strategies that focus on the behaviour change towards the problem. Such goals include the level
of commitment to behavior change on diet, physical activity and healthy weight. Bronikowski,
Bronikowska and Glapa (2016) postulate that setting goals is effective in managing this health
problem especially when feedback is given to an individual. This is because it adopts strategies
like planning calendars, self-paced cards and behavioral contracts which are easy to adhere to.

References
Bartholomew, L. K., & Mullen, P. D. (2011). Five roles for using theory and evidence in the
design and testing of behavior change interventions. Journal of Public Health
Dentistry, 71, S20-S33.
Bronikowski, M., Bronikowska, M., & Glapa, A. (2016). Do They Need Goals or Support? A
Report from a Goal-Setting Intervention Using Physical Activity Monitors in
Youth. International journal of environmental research and public health, 13(9), 914.
doi:10.3390/ijerph13090914
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2012). Goal setting theory. In Motivation: Theory and
research (pp. 23-40). Routledge.
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Lunenburg, F. C. (2011). Goal-setting theory of motivation. International journal of
management, business, and administration, 15(1), 1-6.

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