Motivation and emotion/Book/2026/Possible selves and goal pursuit

Possible selves and goal pursuit:
How do possible selves influence motivation and goal-directed behaviour?

Overview

Figure 1. The wanderer looks across a sea of fog toward the looming mountains, symbolising the current self and possible self. Scenario A university student has started their final year of their bachelor's degree, and the academic standards are higher than previous years. One may imagine their future as exciting: graduating, beginning a meaningful career, becoming financially independent, and becoming the capable and competent person they hope to be. Alternatively, they may imagine their future as unsettling: losing motivation, failing to make use of their opportunities, and becoming someone they once hoped to avoid. Neither future exists, however, these imagined versions of the self can influence what the student does today – whether they attend lectures and tutorials, persist through difficult assignments and exams, or give up when progress feels slow.

The Overview section should provide:

1. Scenario: A brief, engaging case study or real-world example in a feature box, with an accompanying image (see above)
2. Explanation of the problem, issue, or topic: Briefly explain the problem, why it is important, and outline how psychological science can help
3. Focus questions: Unpack the sub-title into focus questions in a feature box

Recommended length: 180 to 330 words.

This template provides key headings, examples, and tips for each section. Gradually remove this generic information as the chapter develops. It is OK to retain some of the template material for the topic development, but it should all be removed for the final book chapter.

Key resources:

• Tutorial 02 explains about how to edit
• Topic development guidelines
• Book chapter guidelines

Possible selves are conceptions of who we may become in the future and involve, to some degree, imagining ourselves as agents within those future situations (Erikson, 2007). They can include versions of ourselves that we hope to become, as well as those we fear becoming. Markus and Nurius (1986) proposed that these future self-representations are motivationally important because they can provide incentives for behaviour and give personal meaning and direction to our goals.

In the opening scenario, the university student can imagine both a desired future of graduating and beginning a meaningful career, and an unwanted future characterised by lost opportunities and lack of direction. Yet imagining either future does not guarantee that the student will study, persist through setbacks, or take advantage of opportunities in the present. This illustrates a central problem in understanding possible selves: how does an imagined future identity become motivation and, ultimately, goal-directed behaviour?

Literature during the 21st century suggests that possible selves are better understood as components of self-regulation through which motivation and behaviour are influenced (Hoyle & Sherrill, 2006; Frazier, Schwartz & Metcalfe, 2021). Research therefore focuses on the conditions under which possible selves provide effective guidance for goal pursuit, including whether they are meaningful, attainable, and connected to realistic behavioural strategies. Examining these processes help to explain why imagined future identities can motivate present goal-directed behaviour in some circumstances, yet remain ineffective in others (Haskins & vanDellen, 2019).

Focus questions What are possible selves, and why can they have motivational significance? How do possible selves interact with self-regulatory processes involved in goal pursuit? Under what conditions do possible selves facilitate - or fail to facilitate - goal-directed behaviour? How can possible selves be used to strengthen motivation and translate future aspirations into present action?

Headings

Figure 1. Adolescents enjoying spending time together.

Use this heading structure:

• Overview
• 3 to 6 major headings tailored to the topic; can have sub-headings, but:
  • avoid having only one sub-heading
  • provide an introductory paragraph before breaking into sub-sections
• Conclusion
• See also
• References
• External links

Possible selves

• what is the psychological construct that is doing the influencing?
• Establishing what they are and why they have motivational significance
• Introduce Markus and Nurius (1986) Possible Selves theory. Specifically, explaining how possibles selves are future-oriented representations of the self
• Markus and Nurius argue that possible selves connect cognition and motivation because they embody hopes, fears, goals and threats and can provide incentives for behaviour.
• Possible selves: theory research and applications: Researchers have found that future possible selves also affect one's current identity (Markius & Nurius, 1986). Possible selves are hypothetical images about one's future, including ideal selves that we would like to become, such as XXX. Theorists believe that possible selves are important because they help people to evaluate their current selves and because they serve to motivate people who behave in ways that will help them attain or avoid their hoped-for or feared possible selves.

Insert examples. Research has shown that people imagine themselves in the future a great deal of the time and that people are more likely to endorse positive possible selves than negative ones.

1.1 Definition and theoretical origins

• Introduce markus and nurius (1986) and explain why possible selves were proposed as an extension of existing understanding of self knowledge
• Markus and nurius as fundamental literature, in which possible selves give self-relevant form to hopes, fears, goals and threats and provide a conceptual link between cognition and motivation
• Establish key propositions that will run throughout the chapter: possible selves may give motivation direction, but processing an imagined future identity does not necessarily produce goal-directed action. More recent literature challenges the idea that possible selves directly cause behaviour 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00424.x

1.2 forms and content of possible selves (could be combined into 1.1)

• Explain hoped-for possible selves as desirable future identities that people would like to approach i.e., becoming better a pickle ball, becoming thinner, or workplace success
• Explain feared possible selves as undesirable future identities people wish to avoid i.e., becoming unhealthy
• Maybe discuss expected possible selves
• Content of possible selves is shaped by people's experiences and sociocultural circumstances rather than being a manifestation of the isolated self. Cross and Markus found systemic differences in hoped for and feared possible selves across adulthood https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232436255_Possible_Selves_across_the_Life_Span

1.3 motivational properties of possible selves

• Explain how markus and nurius proposal that possible selves can function as incentives for future behavior, giving self-relevant meaning and direction to motives
• Introduce evidence that making possible selves salient can affect subsequent motivation or performance. Find recent research study that investigates the effect of self-relevant future imagery on performance
• Explain how characteristics such as the specificity, accessibility, perceived likelihood and elaboration of the possible self may influence how motivational it becomes. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022103103000295

Goal pursuit and self-regulation

• Establish why a motivating future identity is not enough by itself. Something must translate the representation into behaviour
• People must initiate, regulate, and sustain behaviour
• Introduce self-regulation as the set of processes through which people organise

2.1 from goals to goal-directed behaviour

• Define goal pursuit and distinguish a desired endpoint from the behaviours required to move toward that endpoint.
• Establish the distinction between motivation/intention and action: wanting an outcome does not ensure the behaviours necessary to achieve it. Research on implementation intentions is useful background evidence that specifying how and when to act can help translate goal intentions into action. 10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493
• Explain that successful goal pursuit involves processes such as planning, effort, behavioural initiation, persistence and responding to obstacles.
• Connect this immediately back to possible selves: imagining “becoming a psychologist,” for example, only becomes behaviourally consequential if it becomes connected to actions such as studying, seeking experience and completing required training.

2.2 self-regulation in goal pursuit

• Define self-regulation, a social-cognitive process at the intersection of metacognition, motivation, and behaviour, encompasses how people conceptualize, strive for, and accomplish their goals. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11409-020-09255-3
• Introduce hoyle and sherrills (2006) argument: Possible selves as a component in self-regulatory processes through which motivation and behaviour are influenced. Not simply to be understood as directly causing motivation and behaviour; instead, they can form part of the self-regulatory processes through which motivation and behavior are influenced. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00424.x
• Explain that a future identity can provide a reference point or direction, while self-regulation provides mechanisms such as planning, behavioural strategies, monitoring and adjustment.
• Finish with the question that launches Section 3: what determines whether a possible self actually becomes an effective component of self-regulation?

Possible selves in motivated goal pursuit

• Center of the chapter
• Investigating the relationship between possible selves in motivated goal pursuit
• Integrate the constructs established in sections 1 and 2 rather than introducing another independent theory
• How self-representations can affect present motivation, decisions and behaviour
• Look at evidence showing that the motivational effects of possible selves are conditional: their content alone is less important than whether they can become effective self-regulatory resources. https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0092656603000576

3.1 modelling the relationships

• compare Makrus and Nurius and Hoyle and Sherrill self-regulatory interpretation, showing the development from possible selves as incentives toward a more process oriented explanation https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00424.x
• Introduce the MAPS framework 10.1007/s11409-020-09255-3 (use image)
• Possible selves may provide direction and motivational meaning, while self-regulation provides mechanisms through which that imagined future can influence present behaviour
• Answer the question: how?

3.2 when possible selves facilitate goal pursuit

• Possible selves are more effective when linked to plausible strategies. Possible selves were associated with better outcomes when they could function as self-regulators rather than merely a positive image 10.1037/0022-3514.91.1.188
• Visualising future selves. Indeed, visualizing a future general success or specific failure led to better performance on an attention task (Study 1) and higher academic motivation (Study 2) than imagining a future general failure or specific success. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0276236619864275
• Attainability and agency https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33424511/
• Context https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2014.965733

3.3 when possible selves fail to motivate (may be able to combine with 3.2)

• Oyserman roadmap study to explain possible self may not generate behaviour
• “Seeing the destination but not the path”
• Key concept: the motivational value of a possible self lies not merely in imagining the destination, but in whether that future representation can organise effective action in the present

Harnessing possible selves for goal pursuit

• Building capacity for goal pursuit, how understanding these mechanisms allows possible selves to be deliberately used to improve motivation and behaviour

4.1 possible-self interventions

• Discuss actual psychological interventions https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16834488/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20733212/ 10.1016/j.lmot.2019.101599
• Oyserman's school to jobs intervention to demonstrate that possible selves can be deliberately manipulated and linked with strategies, with measurable effects of academic behaviour and outcomes
• Critically compare interventions, mini literature review maybe
• This section answers the question: can people deliberately construct more motivationally effective possible selves? (use this a focus question)

4.2 possible selves to present action

• This section uses practical recommendations derived explicitly from the evidence: envision, connect, strategies, act, monitor.
• Could use a learning feature
• “Commitment to an intertemporal relationship with an ideal possible self has similar effects on its continuation as commitment to an interpersonal relationship” in section: functions of commitment to an ideal possible self https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12499

Extra sources

• Possible selves, self regulation and actual social goal progress (2014)
• Best possible self intervention and academic motivation/commitment (2020)
• Identity-based motivation (2015)

Conclusion

• Possible selves can motivate goal pursuit by giving people personally meaningful future identities to approach or avoid.
• Their influence on behaviour is conditional: possible selves are most effective when they feel attainable and are connected to concrete strategies and self-regulatory processes.
• Psychological interventions may therefore improve goal pursuit by helping people translate imagined future identities into realistic pathways and present action.

Key points

For the topic development, for each heading and sub-heading:

• Provide at least three bullet-points, including for the Overview and Conclusion
• Include key citations

Figures

Figure 2. Example of an image with a descriptive caption.

• Use figures to illustrate concepts, add interest, and to serve as examples
• Figures can show photos, diagrams, graphs, video, audio, etc.
• Embed figures throughout the chapter, starting with the scenario in the Overview section
• Caption figures (use Figure #. and explain the relevance of the image to the text)
• Images must be embedded from Wikimedia Commons
• Images can be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons if they are openly licensed
• Cite each figure at least once in the main text (e.g., see Figure 2)

Learning features

Interactive learning features help to bring book chapters to life and can be embedded throughout the chapter.

Scenarios

• Scenarios, case studies, or examples describe concepts in action
• Can be real or fictional; if real, provide citations
• Can be split into multiple boxes throughout a chapter (e.g., to illustrate different theories or stages)
• Present using feature boxes

Feature boxes

• Highlight key content using feature boxes, but don't overuse, otherwise they lose their effect
• Consider using feature boxes for:
  • Scenarios, case studies, or examples
  • Focus questions
  • Tips
  • Quiz questions
  • Take-home messages

Embedded links

• When key words are introduced, use interwiki links to:
  • Wikipedia articles (e.g., "An early psychological view dreams) of dreams was provided by Sigmund Freud") or
  • Related book chapters (e.g., "If you're feeling stuck, check out the chapter about writer's block")

Tables

• Use to tables to organise and summarise information
• Cite each table at least once in the main text (e.g., see Table 1)
• Tables should be captioned
• More example tables which can be adapted

Table 1

A Descriptive Caption Which Explains The Table Contents and its Relevance to the Text e.g.,

The 2 x 2 Johari Window Model Showing Knowing x Self/Other

	Known to self	Not known to self
Known to others	Open area	Blind spot
Not known to others	Hidden area	Unknown

Quizzes

• Using one or two quiz questions for each main section is better than a long quiz at the end
• Quiz conceptual understanding, rather than trivia. Ask about important information such as take-home messages
• Ask easy rather than hard questions
• Different types of quiz questions are possible; see Quiz

Example simple quiz questions. Choose your answers and click "Submit":

1

The purpose of quizzes is to provide an interactive learning feature:

	True
	False

2

Long and complex quiz questions are recommended:

	True
	False

Conclusion

• The Conclusion is arguably the most important section
• Draft clear take-home message(s), even at the topic development stage
• Together, the Overview and Conclusion should summarise the problem, its significance, and how psychological science contributes to understanding and addressing it
• Recommended length: 150 to 330 words

Suggestions for this section: What is the answer to the sub-title question based on psychological theory and research? What are the answers to the focus questions? What are the practical, take-home messages?

See also

Provide internal (wiki) links to the most relevant Wikiversity pages (esp. related motivation and emotion book chapters) and Wikipedia articles. Use sentence casing and alphabetical order. For example:

• Possible selves (Wikipedia)
• Light triad (Book chapter, 2021)
• Self determination theory (Wikipedia)

Suggestions for this section: Only select links to major internal resources about the topic Include the source in parentheses

References

This section lists the cited references in APA style (7th ed.) or wiki style.

APA style example:

Rosenberg, B. D., & Siegel, J. T. (2018). A 50-year review of psychological reactance theory: Do not read this article. Motivation Science, 4(4), 281–300. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000091

Sacks, O. (1985). The man who mistook his wife for a hat and other clinical tales. Harper & Row.

Cross, S., & Markus, H. (2010). Possible selves across the life span. Human Development, 34(4), 230–255. https://doi.org/10.1159/000277058

de Place, A.-L., & Brunot, S. (2019). Motivational and behavioral impact of possible selves: When specificity matters. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 39(4), 329–247. https://doi.org/10.1177/0276236619864275

Frazier, L. D., Schwartz, B. L., & Metcalfe, J. (2021). The MAPS model of self-regulation: Integrating metacognition, agency, and possible selves. Metacognition and Learning, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-020-09255-3

Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.54.7.493

Haskins, L. B., & vanDellen, M. R. (2019). Self‐regulation as relating to one’s ideal possible self. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 13(10). https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12499

Hoyle, R. H., & Sherrill, M. R. (2006). Future orientation in the self-system: Possible selves, self-regulation, and behavior. Journal of Personality, 74(6), 1673–1696. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00424.x

Murru, E. C., & Martin Ginis, K. A. (2010). Imagining the possibilities: The effects of a possible selves intervention on self-regulatory efficacy and exercise behavior. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 32(4), 537–554. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.32.4.537

Norman, C. C., & Aron, A. (2003). Aspects of possible self that predict motivation to achieve or avoid it. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 39(5), 500–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1031(03)00029-5

Oyserman, D., Bybee, D., & Terry, K. (2006). Possible selves and academic outcomes: How and when possible selves impel action. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91(1), 188–204. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.91.1.188

Oyserman, D., Bybee, D., Terry, K., & Hart-Johnson, T. (2004). Possible selves as roadmaps. Journal of Research in Personality, 38(2), 130–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0092-6566(03)00057-6

Oyserman, D., Destin, M., & Novin, S. (2014). The context-sensitive future self: Possible selves motivate in context, not otherwise. Self and Identity, 14(2), 173–188. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2014.965733

Suggestions for this section: Wrap the set of references in the hanging indent template: Use "Edit source" {{Hanging indent|1= the full list of references}} Important aspects of APA referencing style Author surname, followed by a comma, then the author initials separated by full stops and spaces Year of publication in parentheses Title of work in lower case (except first letter and proper names), ending in a full-stop Journal title in italics, volume number in italics, issue number in parentheses, first and last page numbers separated by an en-dash(–), followed by a full-stop doi as a URL which is a working hyperlink (i.e., clickable) The most common mistakes include: Incorrect capitalisation Incorrect italicisation dois which aren't clickable as working hyperlinks Citing sources that haven't been consulted

External links

Provide external links to highly relevant resources such as podcasts and videos, news articles, and professional sites. Use sentence casing and alphabetical order. For example:

• You 2.0: your future is now (Hidden Brain)
• The psychology of you future self | Dan Gilbert (Youtube)
• Why to start considering your possible selves (Psychology Today)

Suggestions for this section: Only select links to major external resources about the topic Include the source in parentheses after the link