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The motivational self is more than the sum of its goals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2014

Ayelet Fishbach
Ayelet Fishbach*
Affiliation:
Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637. ayelet.fishbach@chicagobooth.eduhttp://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/ayelet.fishbach/research/
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Abstract

I present evidence in favor of an overarching motivational self: a mental function that regulates expression of multiple goals. Goals often conflict with each other, and the role of a motivational self is to consciously or unconsciously prioritize pursuit of these goals. When observing inconsistency in expression of goals, it is therefore useful to consider whether the motivational self is attempting to balance between conflicting goals or if such inconsistency results from temporary self-control weakness.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 37 , Issue 2 , April 2014 , pp. 143 - 144
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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