The Phenomenology of Maintenance: Maintenance Goals are Characterized by Lower Threat and Greater Satisfaction with the Current State

This research tested the phenomenology of maintenance goals as distinct from goals to reach better outcomes (progress goals) and goals to prevent worse outcomes (prevention goals). In Studies 1 and 2, participants reported personal goals and categorized them as maintenance, progress, or prevention. Maintenance goals played a major role in reported central life goals (Study 1) and the largest role in goals pursued in the previous week (Study 2). We theorized that maintenance centers on existing positive outcomes, while prevention centers on future negative outcomes. We therefore predicted a lesser experience of threat and a greater experience of satisfaction in maintenance compared to prevention. Additionally, we predicted greater satisfaction in maintenance compared to progress goals, wherein motivation comes from the value of future positive outcomes rather than current ones. Confirming our predictions, participants rated personal maintenance goals as lower on threat (Study 1) and higher on satisfaction (Studies 1and 2) compared to prevention goals. Additionally, in Study 3, participants judged another person engaged in maintenance as more satisfied and less threatened than a person engaged in prevention or progress. Taken together, this work informs about the phenomenological nature of maintenance and advances a theory-driven ternary taxonomy of basic goal types.