Mini-Profiles
12 Theorists and their theories
Carol Dweck - Achievement Goal Theory
Carol Dweck is a social psychologist, researcher, theorist, author, and lecturer. Dweck received her PhD in social and developmental psychology from Yale University. Dweck is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor at Stanford University's Department of Psychology. Dweck's research interests include applied social psychology, social cognition, person perception, motivation, goal setting, self and identity, attitudes and beliefs, personality, and individual differences. Dweck has taught at Columbia University, the University of Illinois, and Harvard University. Dweck currently teaches courses in motivation, personality, and social development.
Bernard Weiner - Social Motivation Theory
Bernard Weiner is an American cognitive psychologist, professor, researcher, and theorist who received his PhD in psychology from the University of Michigan. Weiner is best known for his work in and development of attribution theory. Weiner also has interests in the study of emotions, punishment, goal setting, causal attribution, and social cognition. Weiner is currently the distinguished professor of psychology at the University of California.
Edwin Locke - Entrepreneurial Motivation Theory
Edwin Locke earned his Ph.D. in industrial psychology from Cornell University and is an American psychologist best known for pioneering goal setting theory. Locke is a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland. Locke suggested that goals have two qualities that include their content and the goals intensity. According to Locke setting a specific goal will generate a higher level of performance than setting a goal with little or no specificity and the more difficult a goal the harder a person will work to achieve that goal.
James L. Perry - Public Service Motivation Theory
James Perry is a professor, lecturer, academic administrator, award winning author, and theorist. James received his PhD from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.. James' research interest include public service motivation, public organizational behavior, public human resource management, performance-related pay, government and civil service reform, national and community service, and public management. James is currently the Chancellor's Professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs and Director of online education for Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
John B. Miner - Task Motivation Theory
John B. Miner is a consultant, researcher, author, speaker, professor, theorist, academic administrator. Miner has devoted his entire career to researching and uncovering the psychology of entrepreneurs and specifically why they succeed or fail. Miner asserts that psychological factors can effectively predict the performance of entrepreneurs. Miner asserts there are four types of entrepreneurial personalities that include the personal achiever, the supersalesperson, the real manager, and the expert idea generator.
William James - Instinct Theot of Motivation
William James - Instinct Theory of Motivation
William James was an American psychologist, professor, physician, lecturer, author, theorist, and philosopher. James received his M.D. from Harvard University. James has been referred to as the father of American psychology is well known for publishing the Principles of Psychology in 1980. James' research focused on instinctive motivation and suggested individuals were born with many instincts including love, fear, sociability, and cleanliness. James' research also focused on the study of pragmatism, functionalism, and emotion (James-Lange Theory of Emotion).
Leon Festinger - Cognitive Dissonance Theory
Leon Festinger was a U.S. social psychologist, professor, researcher, theorist, author, and studied under Kurt Lewin. Festinger received his PhD in psychology from Iowa State University and taught at the University of Michigan, the University of Rochester, University of Minnesota, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and the New School for Social Research. Festinger is best known for his development of the theory of cognitive dissonance.Piers Steel - Temporal Motivation Theory
Piers Steel is a Canadian psychologist, researcher, professor, lecturer, author, theorist, and received his PhD from the University of Michigan. Steel is currently an associate professor of human resources and organizational dynamics at the University of Calgary Haskayne School of Business and is a leading researcher on motivation and procrastination. Steel's research interest include motivation, culture, personnel selection, and procrastination.
William Ouchi - Theory Z of Ouchi
William Ouchi is a U.S. professor, consultant, author, researcher, and corporate board member. Ouchi received his PhD in business administration from the University of Chicago. Ouchi is known for his Theory of Z of Ouchi that states the importance of a caring and benevolent relationship between leaders and followers and assumes that employees will be motivated by a strong social relationship with the company (loyalty will increase with a job for life).
Robert W. White - Effectance Motivation Theory
Robert W. White was a psychologist professor, theorist, association administrator, and researcher in the areas of motivation, competence, personality, and sexual development. White is best known for his competence motivation or effectance motivation theory. White described competence as the ability interact effectively with one's environment. Competence motivation theory also suggests there is a tendency to explore and influence one's environment.
John Stacey Adams - Equity Theory
John Stacey Adams was a workplace behavioral psychologist who developed equity theory which is an explanation of an individual's satisfaction from the perspective of the fair or unfair distribution of resources associated with interpersonal relationships. Adams was Belgian born and developed equity theory in 1962. Equity theory explains what is fair and equitable and how people respond when they are getting more or less than they feel they should be receiving.
John W. Atkinson - Achievement Motivation Theory
Atkinson was a U.S. human motivation psychologist and earned his doctorate at the University of Michigan. Atkinson was also a teacher, scholar is often credited as one of the leaders in establishing motivation as a legitimate field of study within the discipline of psychology. One of Atkinson's many contributions to the field of human motivation was the use of rigorous mathematical models in his theories and experiments. Atkinson was the recipient of the American Psychological Association's highest award, the Gold medal for Distinguished Scientific Contributions in 1979.
