Book Description:
The concept of possible selves, first brought to life only a short time ago by Hazel Markus and Paula Nurious(1986)has grown into an exciting stream of research. Scholars have examined possible selves with regard to a host of adolescent outcomes, including academic achievement, school persistence, career expectations, self-esteem, delinquency, identity development and altruistic behaviors. Adults' possible selves have been associated with parenthood, physical and mental health, self-esteem, motivation, professional roles, coping and aging. In addition, gender and ethnicity have been addressed in a number of possible selves studies. Educationally, what has been learned about possible selves offers a unique and viable approach to helping adolescents learn ways to identify and work toward attainable self-goals in the academic and career domains. "Possible Selves: Theory, Research and Application" represents a sample of the current research being conducted in the area of possible selves. The contributors to the book were chosen to represent a variety of perspectives, and to collectively illustrate some of the different ways that possible selves are being conceptualized, empirically examined and used in interventions.

We’ve partnered with Copyright Clearance Center to make it easy for you to request permissions to reuse Nova content.
For more information, click here or click the "Get Permission" button below to link directly to this book on Copyright Clearance Center's website.

Table of Contents:
Contributors

Preface
JENNIFER L. KERPELMAN, CURTIS S. DUNKEL

Foreword
HAZEL R. MARKUS

Chapter 1 - Temporal Comparisons, Identity, and Motivation: The Relation Between Past, Present, and Possible Future Selves Strahan (pp. 1-15)
(ERIN J. STRAHAN, ANNE E. WILSON)

Chapter 2 - The possible selves of diverse adolescents: Content and function across gender, race and national origin (pp. 17-39)
(DAPHNA OYSERMAN STEPHANIE FRYBERG)

Chapter 3 - Possible selves in adult development: Linking theory and research (pp. 41-59)
(LESLIE D. FRAZIER, KAREN HOOKER)

Chapter 4 - Gender and Possible Selves (pp. 61-77)
(MICHELE KNOX)

Chapter 5 - Possible Selves, Fantasy Distortion, and the Anticipated Life History: Exploring the Role of the Imagination in Social Cognition (pp. 79-96)
(HARRY G. SEGAL)

Chapter 6 - Identity Health, Stress, and Support: Profiles of Transition to Motherhood Among High Risk Adolescent Girls
(pp. 97-121)
(PAULA S. NURIUS, ERIN CASEY, TARYN P. LINDHURST, REBECCA J. MACY)

Chapter 7 - Possible Selves in the Lives of Adult Women: A Short-Term Longitudinal Study (pp. 123-140)
(KRISTINE S. ANTHIS)

Chapter 8 - Possible Selves as Joint Projects (pp. 141-161)
(SHEILA K. MARSHALL, RICHARD A. YOUNG, JOSE F. DOMENE)

Chapter 9 - Using Q Methodology to Study Possible Selves
(pp. 163-186)
(JENNIFER L. KERPELMAN)

Chapter 10 - Possible Selves as Mechanisms of Change in Therapy
(pp. 186-204)
(CURTIS S. DUNKEL, DANIEL KELTS, BRIAN COON)

Chapter 11 - Enhancing Student Motivation through the Pursuit of Possible Selves (pp. 205-221)
(MICHEAL F. HOCK, DONALD D. DESHLER, JEAN B. SCHUMAKER)

INDEX pp.223-236