ABSTRACT
Research and theorizing on goals and their effects on thought, affect and behaviour have become very popular in social psychology, as documented by many recently edited books (e.g. Frese and Sabini 1985; Gollwitzer and Bargh 1996; Halisch and Kuhl 1987; Kuhl and Beckmann 1985; Pervin 1989) and review chapters (e.g. Gollwitzer and Moskowitz 1996; Karniol and Ross 1996; Karoly 1993). The reasons for this are manifold. Some are rooted in theoretical developments in the psychology of motivation (see Heckhausen 1991; Geen 1995; Gollwitzer 1990, 1993; Kuhl 1984) which has moved beyond explaining the choice of actions to the wilful control of actions. This new interest in volition has led to the embracing of the goal concept, as goals are at the starting point of any volitional control of action.
