The Relationship Between Goal Orientation, Social Comparison Responses, Self-Efficacy, and Performance

The present study examined whether social comparison responses (identification and contrast in social comparison) mediated the relationship between goal orientation (promotion and prevention) and self-efficacy, and whether self-efficacy was subsequently related with a better performance. As expected, the results showed that promotion-oriented individuals – who are focused on achieving success – had higher self-efficacy than prevention-oriented individuals – who are focused on avoiding failure. Only one of the social comparison responses had a mediating role. That is, the tendency to contrast oneself with others who were doing better mediated the relationship between a prevention goal orientation and self-efficacy. In addition, self-efficacy was related to a better performance.