Abstract

Reviews theories of a "goal-directed problem-solving" approach to human agency, developed by Cantor and coll. Central in this approach are both "life task" concept and the "strategies" that individuals use to work on their life tasks. Life tasks are the ways by which individuals give personal meaning to their lives and organize personal efforts and activities. Personal needs and situational affordances of social life interactively define strategic solutions to individual life task problems. In this approach cognitions, motivations and emotions jointly concur to draw an active subject for psychological science.