Level of aspiration - 1

Measurement of Level of Aspiration

Experiment No. 1 Submitted By

Krinal R. Thummar

Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education & Psychology

The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara

September 7, 2024
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ABSTRACT

The study aimed to measure the level of aspiration among undergraduate students using the Shah

and Bhargav test. Two subjects, one male and one female, aged 19 and 20 respectively,

participated in the experiment. Each participant was tasked with setting a goal for drawing

human faces within a specified time limit across ten trials. The study calculated Goal

Discrepancy Scores (GDS), Attainment Discrepancy Scores (ADS), and Need to Reduce Tension

Scores (NTRS) to assess the participants' level of aspiration and its impact on their performance.

Results indicated that the subjects exhibited variations in aspiration levels, with some

discrepancies between their expected and actual performance. These findings suggest that

individual aspiration levels influence performance and are affected by past experiences and

environmental factors.

Key-words :- level of aspiration, goal setting, motivation, performance measurement, attainment

discrepancy score, goal discrepancy score

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INTRODUCTION

Level of aspiration is a psychological concept that refers to the goals or objectives that

individuals set for themselves. It is essentially the degree of desire a person has to achieve

something. The level of aspiration can influence a person’s behavior, motivation, and all over

well-being.

a) Definitions of Aspiration

The level of aspiration is “ The maximum goal that a person (or a group) desires and hopes to

reach at any given moment in a specific activity.”

Hoppe (1930) defined the ‘level of aspiration’ as a person’s expectations goal or claim on his

own future in a given task.

American Psychological Association defines aspiration on ambition, goal, or any kind of desired

end that might be achieved through personal effort.

b) Concept of Level of Aspiration

The concept of the "level of aspiration" refers to the highest goal that a person or group

aims to achieve at any given moment in a specific activity. Hoppe (1930) defined it as a person’s

expectations or claims about their future performance in a given task. The term "level of

aspiration" was first used by Lewin while he was in Germany, although it did not become widely

known in the United States until later. The concept is often credited to Lewin’s student, Dembo,
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who discovered that when a goal is too difficult, individuals often set an intermediate goal—a

momentary level of aspiration that is easier but still steps toward the required goal.

Research by Hoppe indicated that performance is often accompanied by a feeling of

failure if it falls below the level of aspiration (L.O.A.), and conversely, by a feeling of success if

it exceeds the L.O.A. He identified several factors that influence L.O.A., including the subjective

nature of an individual’s goals, the experience of success or failure after achieving the goal, and

the impact of immediate past experiences on subsequent goal-setting behavior. Hoppe concluded

that individual variations in the level of aspiration are common. A realistic person typically sets

goals based on past experiences, considering their capabilities in performing the task.

The level of aspiration is usually measured in terms of the gap between a person's actual

score and their expected score. If this difference is very high or low, it might indicate that the

person’s self-esteem is either inflated or deflated. However, when actual performance and

expectations are closely aligned, it suggests that the person is realistic and practical. Setting a

level of aspiration can motivate individuals to try their best, especially if their past performance

helps them estimate how well they will do in future tasks. Most people tend to set their level of

aspiration slightly above their previous performance and adjust it on subsequent trials. Success

typically strengthens the tendency to raise the level of aspiration, while failure tends to lower it.

c) Determinates of Level of Aspiration

There are two types of determinants of level of aspiration

(i) Environmental factors.

(ii) Personal factors.

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i. Environmental factors include determinants like parental ambitions, social expectations,

peer pressure, social value, competition, group cohesiveness etc.

In early childhood, before the child is old enough to know what his abilities, interests and

values are, his aspirations are largely shaped by the environment.

ii. personal factors play dominant role in determining his level of aspiration as the child

grows older and become more aware of his abilities and interests.

These personal factors include determinants such as wishes, personality, past

experiences, values, interests, sex, socio-economic background, racial background etc.

Further, four kinds of events are involved in a level of aspiration situation. They are:

(1) Last performance

(2) Setting of level of aspiration for the next performance

(3) New performance

(4) Psychological reaction to the new performance.

d) Measures of Level of Aspiration (Shah and Bhargav)

i. Concept of Goal Discrepancy Score:

This concept measures the difference between the goals a person sets for

themselves and the goals they actually achieve. A larger discrepancy indicates a bigger

gap between aspiration and achievement, which can help understand a person’s ambition

and realistic goal-setting abilities.

ii. Concept of Attainment Discrepancy Score:

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This score looks at the difference between what a person aims to achieve and

what they actually attain. It helps in assessing how well a person can meet their own

expectations and can be used to identify areas where they might need support or

improvement.

iii. Concept of NTRS (Need to Reduce Tension Score):

This concept measures the extent to which a person feels the need to reduce the

tension between their current state and their desired state. It reflects how motivated they

are to close the gap between where they are and where they want to be, indicating their

drive and determination.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The concept of "level of aspiration" has been extensively studied in psychology, particularly in

relation to motivation and goal-setting behavior. Hoppe (1930) defined the level of aspiration as

the expectations or claims a person sets for their future performance in a given task. Research

has shown that an individual's level of aspiration is influenced by both personal factors, such as

self-esteem and past experiences, and environmental factors, like parental ambitions and peer

pressure. Lewin and Dembo's early work highlighted the role of aspiration in shaping behavior,

with findings indicating that individuals often set intermediate goals when faced with

challenging tasks. Subsequent studies by Shah and Bhargav developed tools to measure the gap

between a person's actual performance and their set goals, providing insights into how realistic or

inflated their aspirations might be. The literature suggests that the level of aspiration is a

dynamic construct, with success typically leading to higher aspirations and failure leading to a

decrease in ambition.
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METHOD

A) OBJECTIVE:

To measure the level of aspiration of undergraduate university going students.

B) HYPOTHESIS:

 Hypothesis 1 :As the number of trials increase, the (average) ADS will be near to zero.

 Hypothesis 2 :As the number of trials increase, the (average) GDS will be near to zero.

 Hypothesis 3 :As the number of trials increase, the NTRS will increase.

C) EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:

This experiment aims to assess the Level of Aspiration in individuals using the Shah and

Bhargav test. Participants will be presented with a series of tasks with varying difficulty levels.

Before each task, they will be asked to set a goal or level of aspiration for their performance. The

difference between their expected performance and actual performance will be measured to

analyze how aspiration levels affect motivation and subsequent performance. The study will also

explore how feedback and success or failure influence aspiration levels.

1. Materials :

 Informed consent

 A sheet with human face depicted on it

 Eleven sheets of level of aspiration test (Shah and Bhargav, 1983)

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 Watch

 Two pencils

 An eraser

 A sharpener

 A plain sheet (for introspective report, scoring)

2. Variables :

 Independent variable : Self aroused level of motivation

 Dependent variable : The goal discrepancy score, Attainment discrepancy score,

Number of times the goal reached the score.

 Control variable :

• The purpose of the experiment should not be revealed to the subject.

• Interpretation of goal discrepancy score, attainment discrepancy score and number of

time the goal reached the score should not be discussed with the subject before or during

the experiment.

• Environmental factors such as noise, light and fan, temperature should be controlled.

• The subject should make the elements of the human face from left to right in order.

• The subject should follow the sequence of drawing the face from left to right on the

page.

• The subject will use the same pencil throughout the experiment.

• The position of the sheet in respect to the subject should be kept constant in all trial.

• The subject’s mobile phone should be on silent.

• The sitting position of the subject should not change throughout the experiment.
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3. Sample :

Non-probability convenience sampling was used. Male vs. Female; 18-25 years.

 Subject 1 :

Name :Bhavya

Age : 20

Gender : female

 Subject 2 :

Name :Granth

Age : 19

Gender : male

Reiterate the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

4. Scoring method :

The Goal Discrepancy Score, Attainment Discrepancy Score and the number of times the

goal reached score are to be calculated using the following formulas:

• Attainment Discrepancy Score = Actual score on the present trial – Expected score on

the same trial.

• Average Attainment Discrepancy Score = Total Attainment Discrepancy Score / Number

of Trials

• Goal Discrepancy Score = Expected score on the present trial – Actual score on the

immediate past trial.

• Average Goal Discrepancy Score = Total Goal Discrepancy Score / Number of Trials
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• Number of times the goal reached score = Sum of positive values and zero values in

attainment discrepancy score represents the number of times the goal reached score.

5. Conditions :

If Expected Score = Actual Score, NTRS is 1.

If Expected Score < Actual Score, NTRS is 1.

If Expected Score > Actual Score, NTRS is 0.

PROCEDURE

INSTRUCTIONS

• “You are going to do a simple task. You have a page containing a circles in front of you and

you have to draw 4 lines in this circle so that they may appear like a human face.

• You must draw in this sequence – left eye, right eye, nose and mouth. Work from left to right

across the rows and then proceed to the next in the same manner.

• For each trial 30 seconds are allotted. There will be a practice trial following which you will

have 10 actual trials.

• In the end of each trial you will have to count the number of human faces you have successfully

completed and write the number in the box provided in the actual score.
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• After the practice trial, before the commencement of the 1st trial, there is a box of expected

score wherein you are supposed to write down the number of faces you will successfully

complete in the trial.

• You may decide on the expected score based on your previous trial score.”
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ACTUAL PROCEDURE

• The experiment was conducted in a home setting. The subject was greeted and asked to sit

comfortably. The experimenter asked the subject their general details, such as name, age and

education. The consent form was willingly filled by the subject to be a part of the experiment.

The form is attached as Appendix. After the rapport was formed, and the instructions were given,

the subject was asked to do practice trial.

• In the practice trial, they were instructed to make the human face in thirty seconds and at the

end of the practice trial, they were supposed to count the faces. This number was written in

actual score.

• Before beginning with an actual trial, they were asked to assume the number of faces that they

could finish in thirty seconds and was made to write in their assumed score in the box of

expected score when the actual trial was started.

• After the trial was over, the score counted was entered into the box of actual score. Like this all

actual trials were conducted.

• After finishing with the ten actual trials the subject was asked to write the introspective report

and was thanked for his participation. He was debriefed to the actual purpose of the study.

• Then, the experimenter’s report was written and goal discrepancy score, attainment of

discrepancy score and number of times goal reached score was calculated.

INTROSPECTIVE REPORT

 How did you find the experiment? How was your experiment?
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The experiment was interesting. It helped me understand how I set goals and try to

achieve them. (subject 1)

 On what basis did your expectations?

I set my expectations based on what I’ve done before and how confident I felt about the

tasks. (subject 2)

 Did you use any strategies in order to reach / cross your expected scores?

I tried to stay focused, and I broke down the tasks to make them easier to handle.

(subject 2)

 Feedback

(subject 1) (appendix)

RESULTS

• Qualitative Result: It is concluded from the introspective report that the subjects were quite

comfortable during the experiment. They found the experiment to be interesting. Both of them

said that they enjoyed the experiment.

• Quantitative Result: Calculate the ADS, GDS, NTRS.

GRAPHS
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SUBJECT 1 SCORES

Expter name Bhavyapatel age 20 years Female

Trial no. Actual Expected Goal reached or Attainment Goal Discrepancy

score score not Discrepancy score score

(1=yes, 0=no)

practice 21

1 23 23 1 1 2

2 26 25 1 0 2

3 27 26 1 1 0

4 27 28 0 1 1

5 28 28 1 -1 1

6 29 29 1 0 1

7 27 20 1 0 -9

8 29 27 1 7 0

9 30 29 1 2 0

10 30 30 1 1 0

Total 9 X=11 Y= -2
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SUBJECT 1
8

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-2

-4

-6

-8

-10
ADS GDS
Column1

CALCULATIONS

• Average Goal Discrepancy Score = Total Goal Discrepancy Score / Number of Trials

Subject 1 = -0.2

• Average Attainment Discrepancy Score = Total Attainment Discrepancy Score / Number of

Trials

Subject 1 = 1.1

• Number of times the goal reached score =

Subject 1 = 9
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SUBJECT 2 SCORES

Expter name Granthpatel age 19 years male

Trial no. Actual Expected Goal reached or Attainment Goal Discrepancy

score score not Discrepancy score score

(1=yes, 0=no)

practice 20

1 23 22 1 1 2

2 25 23 1 2 0

3 26 26 1 0 1

4 27 27 1 0 1

5 27 28 0 -1 1

6 25 29 0 -4 2

7 23 21 1 2 -4

8 23 25 0 -2 2

9 29 25 1 4 2

10 29 29 1 0 0

Total 7 X=2 Y= 7
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SUBJECT 2

5
4

3
2

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-1

-2
-3

-4
ADS GDS2
-5 Column1

CALCULATIONS

• Average Goal Discrepancy Score = Total Goal Discrepancy Score / Number of Trials

Subject 2 = 0.7

• Average Attainment Discrepancy Score = Total Attainment Discrepancy Score / Number of

Trials

Subject 2 = 0.2

• Number of times the goal reached score =

Subject 2 = 7
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DISCUSSION

• After the conduction of the experiment the goal discrepancy score, the attainment discrepancy

score and the number of times the goal reached the score was calculated using the formulas.

• A range of -2 to +2 was kept to be considered as near to 0 for accepting or rejecting the

hypothesis. If subject’s score falls in the range, the subject is considered to have a realistic level

of aspiration, but if subject’s score falls apart from these two numbers than it is considered to be

low or high in aspiration than group/average population.

• The attainment discrepancy score refers to the gap between the actual performance aspiration

for the trial (expected score) and the actual performance on the same trial. The size of the

discrepancy of this score shows how high or low one attains the goal based on one’s expected

score.

• If the ADS is positive, the individual is over-aspirant and if negative, he/she is under-aspirant.

• The difference between immediate past performance and the goal set up after this aspiration

and may be called GDS. In GDS, the immediate past performance (actual score on the first trial)

is subtracted from the new level of aspiration (expected score on the second trial).

• If the new level of aspiration is above the immediate past performance, the GDS is positive; but

if the new level of aspiration lies below the level of past performance, the GDS is negative. A

negative GDS indicates a fear of failure due to which the individual sets a score lower than

which he is capable of. If the GDS is highly positive but the goal is not reached, it signifies an

unrealistic level of aspiration.

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• The subjective probability of success is measured indirectly by GDS and ADS, but directly by

NTR. This may be calculated by the number of trials where the actual score is equal to or more

than the expected score.

• Subjects having minimum NTR scores may show a very high fear of failure while those with

maximum NTR scores are ready to take the risk of failure.

LIMITATIONS

• The level of aspiration experiment was conducted on a sample that is not representative of the

population, thus the findings cannot be generalized. (Age/Gender – cannot be generalized onto

the rest of the population).

• The noise and the lights could not be fully controlled.

• Since the experiment was not in a laboratory setting, there may be some factors which could

affect the subject.

• Possible language barrier, leading to poor understanding of the instructions.

IMPLICATIONS

• General implications + (minimum) 2 implications related to your field of specialization.

• It helps to avoid chances of failure.

• It helps to know how much one has to try and work to reach his goal.
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• It increases self-esteem and enables the person to perform better. It gives the insight of one’s

potentialities and helps in boosting the esteem of an individual. It also gives a wider

understanding of self-concept. The level of aspiration by increasing self-esteem enables one to

evaluate their abilities and goal setting behavior.

• Managing aspiration involves understanding the aspiration of the employee and shaping them

for their own organizational benefit. Aspiration level plays a very important role in an

organizational set up as it enables the employees to take up the tasks accordingly and know their

capabilities and potentials.

• Even from the perspective of the employer, the level of aspiration would be a help as it would

enable them to know who sets realistic goals and attains them.

CONCLUSIONS

The experiment successfully demonstrated the varying levels of aspiration among the subjects, as

reflected in their Goal Discrepancy Scores and Attainment Discrepancy Scores. Both subjects

adjusted their goals based on previous performance, with a tendency to either overestimate or

underestimate their abilities. The results underscore the importance of setting realistic goals to

maintain motivation and achieve success. However, the study's findings are limited by the small

sample size and the non-laboratory setting, which may have introduced uncontrolled variables.

Future research with a larger and more diverse sample could provide more generalizable results.

The implications of these findings suggest that understanding and managing one's level of

aspiration can enhance performance and self-esteem, particularly in educational and

organizational settings.
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REFERENCES

https://dictionary.apa.org

Starbuck, W. H. (1963). Level of aspiration. Psychological Review, 70(1), 51–

60. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0042712

Frank, J. D. (1941). Recent studies of the level of aspiration. Psychological Bulletin, 38(4), 218–

226. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0059344

Gardner , J. W. 1940 . The relation of certain personality variables to level of aspiration . J. of

Psychol. , 9 : 191 – 206 .

Gould , R. and Kaplan , N. 1940 . The relationship of “level of aspiration” to academic and

personality factors . J. Soc. Psychol. , 11 : 31 – 40 .

Hausmann , M. F. 1933 . A test to evaluate some personality traits . J. Gen. Psychol.

Rotter , J. B. 1942 . Level of aspiration as a method of studying personality: I. A critical review

of methodology . Psychol. Rev.

Rotter , J. B. 1943 . Level of aspiration as a method of studying personality: III. Group validity

studies . Char. & Person.

Rotter , J. B. 1942 . Level of aspiration as a method of studying personality: II. Development and

evaluation of a controlled method . J. Exper. Psychol.

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APPENDIX

 Consent form

 Introspective form

 11 sheets

 Tables

 Graphs
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