The current studies attempted to increase individuals’ internalization of their own difficult or unpleasant goals, using either
a low-level or a high-level writing intervention. Two writing studies showed that an appropriate match between level of goal-relevant
skill (low versus high) and level of prompted goal-cognition (low versus high) enhances motivation. Those lower in initial
skills were more likely to internalize their goals over time (Studies 1 and 2) and report greater goal expectancies (Study
2) if they wrote about the “how” of the goals, whereas those higher in initial skills were more likely to experience these
positive outcomes by writing about the “why” of goals. This interaction pattern was found in both a short-term experimental
study of health goals (Study 1) and in a 2month longitudinal study of academic goals (Study 2). Results are discussed in
the context of action identification theory and of self-regulation, which emphasize allocating attention to the right level
of abstraction for optimal functioning.
KeywordsSelf-determination theory-Action-identification theory-Goal implementation-Personal goals-Internalization-Goal expectancy