Associate Professor

Ph.D. (Indiana), B.Soc.Sci. (Hons.) (NUS)

Goals are desirable end states people want to maintain (e.g., a thin figure) or achieve (e.g., academic excellence). More often than not, people pursue important goals in various intrapersonal (e.g., temptations, prior goal pursuit efforts) and interpersonal (e.g., others’ goal pursuit, social interaction) contexts. My research examines how the various aspects of the goal pursuit process are dynamically shaped by the relevant context. Ultimately, my work aims to contribute to a more enriching social environment so that people can strive for their goals harder and longer, and find the experience more rewarding.

To achieve my research objectives, I work closely with members of the Situated Goal Pursuit (SPUR) Lab. We adopt a multi-method approach, combining experimental designs with longitudinal studies, analyses of “big” datasets, and intervention programs. The various topics my lab examines are: self-regulation, academic achievement, temptations, self-control, national identification, intergroup conflicts, social cognition, and creativity.