Motivational Styles in Everyday Life: A Guide to Reversal Theory [Hardcover]

Michael J. Apter (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2001

In Motivational Styles in Everyday Life: A Guide to Reversal Theory, volume editor Michael J. Apter offers a compelling and unique perspective on some of the oldest questions facing psychology: Why do we pursue potentially life-threatening activities such as smoking or sky diving, or things that thrill and frighten us, like horror movies or roller coasters? How can we motivate the athlete, executive, employee, or student to higher levels of performance? Based on the understanding that people are essentially changeable and move between different "motivational styles" in the course of daily life, this theory sheds light on the paradoxes of risk taking, addiction, rebelliousness, and other areas of motivation, emotion, and personality. Why people reverse from time-to-time between the pursuit of opposite kinds of satisfaction so that they contradict themselves, sometimes dramatically, is explored in this articulate, concise, and persuasive introduction to a complex theory with broad implications for understanding both normal and pathological human behavior. Written by those in the forefront of reversal theory development over the past 25 years, this book offers a definitive statement of the theory along with research support in a wide variety of areas across the social sciences and biology. Reversal theory, which challenges some of the basic concepts of mainstream psychology, such as the trait concept of personality, is gaining widespread application in clinical psychology, counseling, and management consulting, and has much to offer psychology as a whole, leading to new questions, new hypotheses and solutions, and new avenues of research. This will prove to be an important book, an ideal introduction as well as an indispensable resource for those already using reversal theory.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...a monumental contribution to psychological theory and practice. -- Dan P. McAdams, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Human Development, Northwestern University

This book should help communicate this impressive and useful theory to a broader audience. -- Robert J. Sternberg, PhD, IBM Professor of Psychology and Education, Department of Psychology, Yale University

This is a fascinating challenge to the traditional ways in which we understand what makes people tick. -- Peter Salovey, PhD, Professor and Chairman, Department of Psychology, Yale University

About the Author

Michael J. Apter, PhD, is a research psychologist who has spent most of his career developing the reversal theory. He has a doctorate from Bristol University in the United Kingdom and has taught at the University of Wales in Cardiff for 20 years. He is currently a visiting researcher at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 373 pages
• Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA); 1 edition (January 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557987394
• ISBN-13: 978-1557987396
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,566,160 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative Reversal Theory review, October 12, 2011

By 

Cristi - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Motivational Styles in Everyday Life: A Guide to Reversal Theory (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book; it is a broad review of the field of Reversal Theory,
and as expected depth is often sacrificed for breadth. An interested reader
is given however a wealth of pointers to follow upon for more in-depth treatment.