The Psychology of Goals [Hardcover]

Gordon B. Moskowitz PhD (Editor), Heidi Grant PhD (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 16, 2009 | ISBN-10: 1606230298 | ISBN-13: 978-1606230299 | Edition: 1

Bringing together leading authorities, this tightly edited volume reviews the breadth of current knowledge about goals and their key role in human behavior. Presented are cutting-edge theories and findings that shed light on the ways people select and prioritize goals; how they are pursued; factors that lead to success or failure in achieving particular aims; and consequences for individual functioning and well-being. Thorough attention is given to both conscious and nonconscious processes. The biological, cognitive, affective, and social underpinnings of goals are explored, as is their relationship to other motivational constructs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Every moment of waking life, our behavior, thinking, and emotions are oriented and regulated by goals--whether we are aware of it or not. Goals are the system units of human functioning. This book offers the most definitive, state-of-the-art treatment of the topic that I have seen in decades, from a collection of stellar researchers and thinkers. It is a field-renewing book that will launch a flotilla of new research."--Claude Steele, PhD, Director, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, and Lucie Stern Professor in the Social Sciences, Stanford University

"The study of goals is at the heart of understanding human behavior in a social context. This unique, timely book surveys the cognitive and motivational components of goal-directed behavior. Distinguished scientists and researchers contribute state-of-the-art presentations in their respective areas of expertise. Chapters provide insightful and challenging perspectives on central topics in contemporary research on goals, such as evolution, brain, affect, perception, memory, representation of knowledge, executive control, and conscious versus nonconscious processes."--Henk Aarts, PhD, Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

"'Do you know what you want?' This is not just a question posed by an impatient restaurant server. Knowing what we want is the center of our psychological life, and the degree to which we are conscious or unconscious of our goals is an issue of enduring concern. This book chronicles emerging breakthroughs in several fields to offer striking new insights on how goals operate in the mind."--Daniel M. Wegner, PhD, Department of Psychology, Harvard University

"This handbook of goals research is an idea whose time has come. This comprehensive work will inform psychological scientists of all stripes: neuro-, behavioral, cognitive, social, personality, and clinical scientists all will find something useful and new here. Everyone from students to experts will want to have this readable and authoritative source in their classes, in their libraries, and on their desks."--Susan T. Fiske, PhD, Eugene Higgins Professor of Psychology, Princeton University

About the Author

Gordon B. Moskowitz, PhD, is a social psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Lehigh University. His research examines the relationship between social cognition and goals, with particular emphasis on the implicit nature of each. Person perception, social judgment, stereotyping, and stereotype control are typically used as the content areas in which these issues are explored. Dr. Moskowitz has received funding from the German Science Foundation and the National Science Foundation to support this research. He is currently investigating the implicit nature of control and self-regulation, with a focus on creativity goals and egalitarian goals and the impact of each on controlling stereotyping.

 

Heidi Grant, PhD, is a social psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychology at Lehigh University. Her primary interest lies in understanding individual responses to setbacks and challenges, and how these responses are shaped by the types of goals pursued. Dr. Grant’s research, funded by the National Science Foundation, has explored how goal content impacts self-regulation, achievement, person perception, persuasion, and well-being. She is currently investigating the impact of goal difficulty and obstacles to the pursuit of achievement goals, and the development of a successful classroom learning goal intervention.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 548 pages
• Publisher: The Guilford Press; 1 edition (January 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1606230298
• ISBN-13: 978-1606230299
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.3 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #614,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Heidi Grant Halvorson is a motivational psychologist. Her research has focused on understanding why some people give up when their goals give them trouble, while others can rise to the challenge. Through her books, articles, and her blogs (Huffington Post, Harvard Business Review, Psychology Today, Fast Company), she hopes to help people understand that ANYONE can reach their goals, and give them the scientifically-tested strategies they need to succeed.

In addition to her work as author and co-editor of the highly-regarded academic book The Psychology of Goals (Guilford, 2009), she has authored papers in her field's most prestigious journals, including the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, European Journal of Social Psychology, and Judgment and Decision Making. She has received grants from the National Science Foundation for her research on goals and achievement. She also serves on the Board of Advisors for Columbia University Business School's Motivation Science Center. Her work has been praised by Carol Dweck, Matthew Kelly, Dr. Edward Hallowell, and Peter Bregman, among many others.

Dr. Grant Halvorson is a member of the Association for Psychological Science, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and was recently elected a Fellow of the Society for Experimental Social Psychology. She gives frequent invited addresses and speaks regularly at national conferences, and is available for speaking engagements and workshops, primarily in education and management. She received her PhD from Columbia University.


You can contact Heidi at [e-mail]

Visit her website at www.heidigranthalvorson.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Research material February 7, 2013

By ROBERT E LEE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is a compendium of research into the psychology of goals. The material is excellent and revelatory.

This book is not self help material although there are many potential applications in that area.