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Maintained by Scott Plous, Wesleyan University

Catalina Kopetz

Catalina Kopetz

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My research focuses on self-regulation phenomena from the perspective of motivation as cognition. I am particularly interested in identifying and understanding the mechanisms that underlie goal pursuit and the management of multiple goals and goal conflict. My research investigates these basic mechanisms that govern human action in general, and in particular it attempts to understand their functioning in health-relevant judgment and behavior (e.g. dieting, substance use, HIV risk behavior).

Primary Interests:

  • Health Psychology
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Motivation, Goal Setting
  • Social Cognition

Research Group or Laboratory:

Journal Articles:

  • Kopetz, C., Faber, T., Fishbach, A., & Kruglanski, A. (2011). Multifinality constraints effect: How goal multiplicity narrows the means set to a focal end. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 100(5), 810-826.
  • Kopetz, C., Lejuez, C. W., Wiers, R., & Kruglanski, A. W. (2013). Motivation and self-regulation mechanisms in addiction: A call for convergence. Perspectives in Psychological Science, 8(1), 3-24.
  • Kopetz, C. & Orehek, A., E. (2015). When the end justifies the means; Self-defeating behavior as “rational” and “successful” self-regulation. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(5), 386-391.
  • Kopetz, C., Woerner, J. I., MacPherson, L., & Lejuez, C. W., Nelson, C. A., Zeanah, C. H., & Fox, N. (2018). Early psychosocial deprivation and adolescent risk-taking: The role of motivation and executive control. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General; 10.1037/xge0000486.
  • Kopetz, C., Woerner, J. I., Starnes, W., & Dedvukaj, J. (2018). It’s risky, therefore I do it: Counterfinality as a source of perceived instrumentality of risk behavior as means to goals. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2018.08.001.
  • Kruglanski, A. W., Belanger, J., Chen, X., Kopetz, C., Pierro, A., & Mannetti, L. (2012). The energetics of motivated cognition: A force field analysis. Psychological Review, 119(1), 1-20.
  • Kruglanski, A. W., Kopetz, C., Belanger, J., Chun, W. Y., Orehek, E., & Fishbach, A. (2013). Features of Multifinality: Effects of Goal Plurality on Means Preferences. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 17(1), 22-39

Courses Taught:

  • Introduction to Social Psychology (graduate and undergraduate)
  • Motivation and self-regulation
  • Research methods
  • Social Cognition

Catalina Kopetz
Department of Psychology
5057 Woodward Ave, 7th Floor
Detroit, Michigan 48202
United States of America

  • Phone: (313) 577-0962

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