The Hidden Cost of High Aspirations: Examining the Stress-Enhancing Effect of Motivational Goals Using Vignette Methodology

TL;DR

This study explores how conflicting goals and psychological patterns can increase stress in workplace situations.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of psychological inconsistencies intensifying stress responses through motivational goals and conflict schemas.

Findings

Participants with stronger avoidance goals reported higher baseline stress levels.

High goal incongruence led to greater stress increases in three out of four scenarios.

Conflict schemas and avoidance goals act as internal stressors amplifying stress responses.

Abstract

Occupational stress is a major contributor to mental and physical health problems, yet individuals vary in how they appraise and respond to stress, even in identical situations. This study investigates whether motivational goals and internalized conflict schemas—as proposed by Grawe’s Consistency Theory—account for these differences by intensifying subjective stress when approach and avoidance goals are simultaneously activated. In a vignette-based pilot study, we validated 12 workplace scenarios varying in incongruence levels. In the main study (N = 482; mean age 25 years; 83.2% female), participants completed the FAMOS questionnaire to assess approach and avoidance goals and were randomly assigned to 4 out of the 12 pretested vignettes. Subjective stress was measured before and after vignette exposure using the SSSQ, and subjective wellbeing was measured using the PANAS. Multilevel modeling showed that participants with stronger avoidance goals and conflict schemas reported higher baseline stress, and that experimentally induced high incongruence led to greater increase in stress levels compared to low incongruence in three out of four scenarios. These findings suggest that psychological inconsistencies—particularly avoidance goals, conflict schemas, and goal incongruence—serve as internal stressors that intensify stress responses. The results highlight the importance of considering individual motivational patterns in stress research and intervention.

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