Gabriele Oettingen Books
Gabriele Oettingen is a professor of psychology at New York University and the University of Hamburg. Her research focuses on motivation, self-regulation, and behavior change.
Known for: Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation
Books by Gabriele Oettingen
Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation
In this groundbreaking work, psychologist Gabriele Oettingen challenges the conventional wisdom of positive thinking. Drawing on over two decades of research in motivation and self-regulation, she introduces the concept of 'mental contrasting'—a method that combines positive visualization with realistic assessment of obstacles. Through the WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan) framework, Oettingen provides a practical approach to achieving goals by balancing optimism with strategic realism.
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The Problem with Pure Optimism
When I first set out to examine positive thinking, it was not because I distrusted hope—I was fascinated by it. But in studying how people pursue their wishes, I began noticing an unsettling pattern. When individuals indulged deeply in fantasies of success—imagining perfect careers, effortless weigh...
From Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation
Understanding Mental Contrasting
Mental contrasting begins with the same spark of positive thinking: a wish, something you truly desire. But unlike traditional visualization, it doesn’t stop at fantasizing the perfect outcome. Instead, once you imagine the outcome, you deliberately contrast it with the obstacles that currently stan...
From Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation
About Gabriele Oettingen
Gabriele Oettingen is a professor of psychology at New York University and the University of Hamburg. Her research focuses on motivation, self-regulation, and behavior change. She is best known for developing the concept of mental contrasting and the WOOP method, which have been widely applied in ed...
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Gabriele Oettingen is a professor of psychology at New York University and the University of Hamburg. Her research focuses on motivation, self-regulation, and behavior change. She is best known for developing the concept of mental contrasting and the WOOP method, which have been widely applied in ed...
Gabriele Oettingen is a professor of psychology at New York University and the University of Hamburg. Her research focuses on motivation, self-regulation, and behavior change. She is best known for developing the concept of mental contrasting and the WOOP method, which have been widely applied in education, health, and organizational settings.
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Gabriele Oettingen is a professor of psychology at New York University and the University of Hamburg. Her research focuses on motivation, self-regulation, and behavior change.
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