Setting specific, hard-to-reach goals seems to help people maintain motivation, while preventing them from feeling as drained by mental tasks.
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Articles on Setting goals
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We conducted a study to see if students who set goals to try to improve on their past efforts were more engaged in school. We found the strategy was particularly helpful to disadvantaged students.
Behavioural psychology aims to help us understand why we make the choices we do.
Leading minds in behavioural and social sciences share perspectives on changes ahead and give advice how to make it through the pandemic.
You might feel you’ve failed after ‘only’ recording 9,000 steps when your goal was 10,000. In reality, 9,000 steps might be an achievement. Is it time to ditch specific goals in favour of open goals?
New Year’s resolutions are usually an opportunity to think about long-term goals. The uncertainty and restrictions of COVID-19 make 2021 a good year to focus on ways to help yourself in the short-term.
New Year’s resolutions are often no more than good ideas that last a few weeks. Research suggests, however, that putting purpose behind your resolutions can make a big difference. Here’s how.
Top contributors
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Scientia Professor and Professor of Educational Psychology, UNSW Sydney
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Senior Research Associate, Centre for Lifestyle Medicine and Behaviour, Loughborough University
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Associate Professor in Psychology, Southern Cross University
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Scientia Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, UNSW Sydney
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Assistant Professor of Clinical Marketing, University of Southern California
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Research Director, Performance Science Institute, University of Southern California
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Professor of Psychology, University of Waterloo
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Professor of Psychology, University of Regina
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Postdoctoral research fellow, UNSW Sydney
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ARC DECRA Fellow and Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University
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Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Texas at Arlington
