Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

  New Year's Resolutions are popular but there isn't much research about how well we do. Fortunately, Martin Oscarsson and his team studied over a thousand people to see what works. Not surprisingly, they found that the most popular resolutions were physical health, weight loss, and eating habits. Goals Make a Difference After a full year, the most successful group reached nearly 59%  compared to a group that reached about 47%. The difference between the groups was the type of goal. Successful people focused on goals they reached for (approach-oriented). The lower success people worked on goals to avoid something (avoidance oriented). Support  Helps The participants were randomly assigned to 3 groups. Group 1 did not receive support. Group 2 received some support-- they learned about the value of support and received information and guidance on achieving personal goals. Group 3 received extended support beyond that received in Group 2. For example, they learned more about...

Before You Write Another Goal Goals, Meaning, and Faith Have you thought about goals for the new year? The question annoys some and engages others. And some use the occasion of a calendar event to assess their progress on life goals. Goals add meaning to life. Goals reflect a sense of purpose – so it’s no surprise that research on goals and purpose would include a study of the role of religion or spirituality. Even if you are not familiar with the scientific study of religion, you would probably find it easy to see that religion or spirituality, however defined, offers people a sense of purpose in life and ways to connect various life events so they make sense. Perhaps this is behind the popular book by Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life ? And on the downside, as I have written elsewhere, there is a purpose driven death —seen in those who sacrifice their lives for a religiously motivated goal. A favorite reference for writers on meaning and purpose is Victor Frankl ...

Thanksgiving and Faith   Amidst the advertisements reminding us that Christmas is a few weeks away, millions in the U.S. will pause to celebrate Thanksgiving. Ideally, people will share a traditional meal with family and friends. It will be a time to experience joy and express gratitude. The tradition carries images of people who had lived in North America for centuries sharing a feast with new arrivals from England. Like a giant gold-framed antique painting, joyful people are forever portrayed in quaint clothes celebrating a harmonious relationship. Christian children learn the English offered thanks to God for their survival and for the harvest. Admittedly, for millions in the U.S., it will not be a joyful occasion. And many might be more in the mood of expressing their sadness and disappointment rather than conjuring up some thankful trope to answer the recurrent question: “And what are you thankful for?” So it is with any feast day round the world. Some people ar...