ABSTRACT
Thepremiseofourchapteristhatneedsandgoalsarefundamental elementsoftheself-systemandthattheprecisenatureoftheirfunctioningisbestunderstoodwithreferencetotheself-system.Wewillargue thatthecrucialelementofagoalistherepresentationoftheindividual herselforhimselfapproachingandrealizingthegoal.Withoutthisrepresentationoftheself,agoalwillnotbeaneffectiveregulatorofbehavior. Goalsarerarelycognizedintotalabstraction.Mostgoals,whetherrelativelymundanelikegettingdressedinthemorning,ormorecomplex suchasgainingtenureinaprofession,occasiontheconstructionofa "possibleself'inwhichoneisdifferentfromthenowselfandinwhich onerealizesthegoal.Itisthe"I"thatholdsorpossessesthegoalorthe threat:forexample,Ihopetofinishcollege;Iplantobuyacar;Iam afraidoffailingthistest.Agoalwillhaveanimpactonbehaviortothe extentthatanindividualcanpersonalizeitbybuildingabridgeof self-representationsbetweenone'scurrentstateandone'sdesiredor hoped-forstate.Thecriticaldeterminantofwhetheragivengoalwill
guide and sustain instrumental action is thus the ability to create and maintain the possible selves that allow one to appropriate a desired end state and to make it one's own.
