On Having a Goal: Goals as Representations or Behavior

On Having a Goal: Goals as Representations or Behavior

The present article discusses the concepts of having a goal and of goal-directed behavior from a behavior-analytic perspective. In clinical psychology as well as in the study of human behavior at large, goals delineate an important area of investigation when it comes to health, well-being, and behavioral change. While concepts like goals and goal-directed behavior may be more frequently used ou...

Goals as Excuses or Guides: The Liberating Effect of Perceived Goal Progress on Choice

Consumer choices are often driven by multiple goals (e.g., career and family), each of which if viewed in isolation may appear to suggest conflicting choices. This article examines the effect of initial goal pursuit on consumers’ interest in pursuing unrelated or even conflicting goals. Four studies were conducted to test whether perceived goal progress hinders the pursuit of the focal goal. Th...

The nucleus accumbens as a nexus between values and goals in goal-directed behavior: a review and a new hypothesis

Goal-directed behavior is a fundamental means by which animals can flexibly solve the challenges posed by variable external and internal conditions. Recently, the processes and brain mechanisms underlying such behavior have been extensively studied from behavioral, neuroscientific and computational perspectives. This research has highlighted the processes underlying goal-directed behavior and a...

Transactive Goal Dynamics Theory: A relational goals

Transactive Goal Dynamics (TGD) Theory is a multi-level, Q4 relational theory of goal pursuit that can be used to understand behavior within organizational teams. The theory describes the nature of goal-related interdependence (called transactive density) within dyads and groups, and predicts when transactive density will have positive versus negative consequences for goal-related outcomes. TGD...

Automatic goal inference and contagion : On pursuing goals one perceives in other people ’ s behavior