Performance, goal setting, and self regulation as a function of socially prescribed perfectionism on an objective behavioral task

High and low socially prescribed perfectionism groups completed an objective behavioral task based on the Digit Symbol subtest of the WAIS. Participants completed seven trials of a modified Digit Symbol task. Prior to each trial participants set a goal for the trial. After each trial participants received accurate performance feedback for the trial. Participants also rated self efficacy magnitude and strength, satisfaction, and task importance. Self regulation, the ability to appropriately modify goals in response to performance was also assessed. It was expected that individuals high in socially prescribed perfectionism would set higher goals, have difficulty self regulating performance, report less satisfaction, have lower self efficacy, and have worse performance compared to individuals low in socially prescribed perfectionism. It was also expected that the high socially prescribed perfectionism group would score higher on the Beck Depression Inventory and lower on the Rosenberg self esteem inventory than the low socially prescribed group. In contrast to expectations, high and low socially prescribed perfectionism groups did not differ in terms of goals, self regulation, satisfaction, self efficacy, performance, or Rosenberg Self Esteem Inventory scores. The high socially prescribed group obtained significantly higher scores on the Beck Depression Inventory and a larger percentage of the high socially prescribed perfectionism group obtained scores that were above the cut off for probable cases of depression. Reasons for the lack of differences between the two groups are discussed and ideas for future research are proposed.