Negative affect associated with goal progress does not lead to health behaviour change

Abstract

Background: When do people decide to do something about problematic health behaviours such as poor diet? Theoretical models suggest that people should take action when they feel bad about their progress – i.e., when they experience negative goal-related affect. However, the impact of goal-related affect on goal striving has rarely been investigated. Methods: Study 1 (N = 744) adopted a cross-sectional design and examined the extent to which measures of goal-related affect were correlated with intentions to take action. Study 2 (N = 409) investigated the impact of experimentally manipulating goal-related affect on subsequent intentions and behaviour. Findings: Study 1 found that, while self-regulatory outcomes had the expected affective consequences (e.g., healthy eating, regular exercise, and lower alcohol intake were correlated with positive goal-related affect; ps < .05), it was feeling good rather than bad about goal progress that was associated with stronger intentions to eat healthily and exercise (ps < .05). Goal-related affect was not associated with intentions to reduce alcohol intake (p = .796). Similarly, in Study 2, participants induced to feel good (relative to bad) about their eating behaviour had stronger intentions to eat healthily (p = .054) and intentions were correlated with behaviour one week later (p < .001). Discussion: Two studies provide evidence that, in contrast to theoretical frameworks, people intend to take action when they feel good, rather than bad, about their goal progress. Such findings have theoretical and practical implications for interventions designed to promote changes in health behaviour.