Editing New Year's resolution (section)

== Success rate ==
Evidence for actual behaviorial changes after New Year's resolutions is mixed. The effect is most pronounced immediately after the new year, but decreases soon afterwards.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Norcross |first1=John C. |last2=Vangarelli |first2=Dominic J. |date=1988-01-01 |title=The resolution solution: Longitudinal examination of New Year's change attempts |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0899328988800166 |journal=Journal of Substance Abuse |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=127–134 |doi=10.1016/S0899-3289(88)80016-6 |pmid=2980864 |issn=0899-3289|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Approach-oriented goals, rather than avoidance-oriented goals, can lead to better results.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Oscarsson |first1=Martin |last2=Carlbring |first2=Per |last3=Andersson |first3=Gerhard |last4=Rozental |first4=Alexander |date=2020-12-09 |title=A large-scale experiment on New Year's resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=15 |issue=12 |pages=e0234097 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0234097 |doi-access=free |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=7725288 |pmid=33296385|bibcode=2020PLoSO..1534097O }}</ref>

In a 2014 report, 35% of participants who failed their New Year's resolutions admitted they had unrealistic goals, 33% of participants did not keep track of their progress, and 23% forgot about them; the remaining respondents claimed they made too many resolutions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.finder.com.au/press-release-bunch-of-failures-or-just-optimistic-finder-com-au-new-years-resolution-study-shows-new-year-novelty-fizzles-fast|title=Bunch of failures or just optimistic? finder.com.au New Year's Resolution Study shows New Year novelty fizzles fast - finder.com.au|first=Michelle|last=Hutchison|date=29 December 2014|website=finder.com.au|access-date=19 April 2018}}</ref>

A 1972 study of 382 students at the University of Wisconsin showed minimal impact of New Year's resolutions on weight loss commitments, with the study finding that making a resolution or being monitored did not significantly affect weight loss.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Marlatt |first1=G. Alan |last2=Kaplan |first2=Burt E. |date=1972 |title=Self-Initiated Attempts to Change Behavior: A Study of New Year's Resolutions |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.2466/pr0.1972.30.1.123 |journal=Psychological Reports |language=en |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=123–131 |doi=10.2466/pr0.1972.30.1.123 |pmid=5012612 |s2cid=36886299 |issn=0033-2941|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

A 2007 study by [[Richard Wiseman]] from the [[University of Bristol]] involving 3,000 people showed that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail,<ref>{{cite news|last=Lehrer|first=Jonah|date=December 26, 2009|title=Blame It on the Brain|language=en-US|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703478704574612052322122442|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> despite the fact that 52% of the study's participants were confident of success at the beginning. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in [[goal setting]], wherein resolutions are made in terms of small and measurable goals (e.g., "lose a pound a week" rather than "lose weight").