THE INTERACTION OF ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE WITH MOBILITY AND ITS EFFECT ON EFFORT

Abstract

Advantage and mobility interact. Advantage is a position that comes with a benefit and helps an individual attain a desirable outcome more easily. On the other hand, mobility refers to beliefs about the likelihood and feasibility of moving between advantage and disadvantage. Advantage influences the instrumentality of effort and perception of the self?s ability depending on the mobility in the environment and in turn produces different levels of effort. This study predicted that in low mobility environments, advantage lowers instrumentality of effort, increases perception of the self?s ability and reduces effort. While disadvantage reduces instrumentality of effort, perception of the self?s ability, and effort. High mobility predicts high instrumentality of effort, little changes to perception of the self?s ability and high effort. To investigate this interaction, a 2 (advantage: advantaged vs. disadvantaged) x 2 (mobility: high vs. low) fully between subjects experimental design was employed. No significant results were observed and as such possible reasons and limitations were discussed. Additionally, implications and future directions for research were also provided.