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Mapping the goal space: personality integration and higher-order goals
1University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E6, Canada. jacob.hirsh@utoronto.ca http://www.jacobhirsh.com.
The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|April 30, 2014
Summary
Goals are central to human cognition, aiding personality integration by mapping implicit motives into a organized self-system. This developmental process is key for a comprehensive goal theory.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Goals are fundamental to human cognitive function.
- Personality integration involves organizing implicit motives into a coherent self-system.
- This process is a critical aspect of human development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of goals in personality integration.
- To understand personality integration as a mapping of implicit motives.
- To highlight the developmental significance of this integrative process.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of goal theories.
- Integration of research on implicit motives and self-system organization.
- Theoretical framework development.
Main Results:
- Goals serve as a central organizing principle for cognitive function.
- Personality integration is characterized by the gradual mapping of implicit motives.
- A goal-centric approach provides a framework for understanding developmental integration.
Conclusions:
- A complete goal theory must account for personality integration.
- Understanding goal-directed cognition is crucial for developmental psychology.
- Implicit motives and self-system coherence are key to personality development.
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