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The influence of competition and performance goals on decoding complex emotions

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Abstract

The present research examines the processes through which competitive contexts influence performance in an understudied domain: social perception. In two experiments (one preregistered), we test how competition (relative to control) influences performance on a measure of emotion decoding: The Reading-the-mind-in-the-Eyes (RME) task. Specifically, we examine whether performance-approach (PAP) and performance-avoidance (PAV) goals (as well as mastery-approach [MAP] and mastery-avoidance [MAV] goals) affect the competition-performance relation in this domain. The results indicate no direct effect of competition on RME performance, but that competition promotes the pursuit of both PAP and PAV goals. Moreover, we find that both PAP and PAV goals are positively related to RME performance in a competitive, but not control, context. Mediational analyses indicate that PAP goals, in particular, are the process through which competition indirectly influences RME performance. These findings integrate several different heretofore separate literatures, and lay the foundation for exciting new work in this overlooked area.

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Notes

  1. In the pre-registration, we mistakenly stated that the Baron-Cohen et al. measure has 32 items – this mistake has been corrected herein.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Baruch College and The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA

    Steven G. Young

  2. University of Rochester, Rochester, USA

    Andrew J. Elliot

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  1. Steven G. Young
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  2. Andrew J. Elliot
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Correspondence to Steven G. Young.

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Appendices

Appendix

The complete list of items used for each goal measure in the current research is provided below.

Performance-approach (PAP)

My aim is to perform well relative to other workers in this experiment.

I am striving to do well compared to other workers in this experiment.

My goal is to perform better than the other workers in this experiment.

Performance-avoidance (PAV)

My aim is to avoid doing worse than other workers in this experiment.

I am striving to avoid performing worse than other workers in this experiment.

My goal is to avoid performing poorly compared to other workers in this experiment.

Mastery-approach (MAP)

My aim is to completely master the task in this experiment.

I am striving to understand this experiment as thoroughly as possible.

My goal is to do as well as possible in this experiment.

Mastery-avoidance (MAV)

My aim is to avoid doing worse than I possibly could in this experiment.

I am striving to avoid an incomplete understanding of the experiment.

My goal is to avoid learning less than it is possible to learn in this experiment.

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Young, S.G., Elliot, A.J. The influence of competition and performance goals on decoding complex emotions. Motiv Emot 44, 911–920 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-020-09845-3

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