Goal Obsession: The Good Samaritan

A classic example of the adverse consequence of goal obsession was the "Good Samaritan" research done by Darly and Batson at Princeton in 1973. In this widely-referenced study, one group of theology students was told that they were to go across campus to deliver a sermon on the topic of the Good Samaritan. As part of the research, some of these students were told that they were late and needed to hurry up. They believe people would be waiting for them to arrive. Along their route across campus to the chapel, Darly and Batson had hired an actor to play the role of a "victim" who was coughing and suffering. 90% of the late students in Princeton Theology Seminary ignored the needs of a suffering person in their haste to get across campus. As the study reports, " Indeed, on several occasions, a seminary student going to give his talk on the parable of the Good Samaritan literally stepped over the victim as he hurried on his way!"

What's the implication of this study on our own focus on goals? Do our drive to achieve our goals overwhelm the principles of mutually-beneficial relationship, clients' interest and family harmony? We have to ask ourselves "Am I achieving a task at the expense of our values and longer term aspirations?"