Goal Posts

Commentary on the complex relationships between motivation, performance, competition, cooperation, and goals.

John Tauer, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at the University of St. Thomas. See full bio

Goal Posts

February 9, 2010

Winning isn’t Everything, it’s the Only Thing….Or is it?

Vince Lombardi is often quoted as having said, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” However, Lombardi claimed that what he actually said was ... Read More

February 2, 2010

Silver or Bronze Medalists: Who is Happier?

In social psychology, we call the “What if” game counterfactual thinking (CT). Essentially, CT involves imagining what could have been, typically after a negative outcome. In a classic study, Medvec, Madey, and Gilovich coded the facial expressions of Olympic medalists. Not surprisingly, Gold medalists exhibited the most joy. However..... Read More

January 27, 2010

If Ifs and Buts were Candy and Nuts, the Vikings would be Super Bowl Champions

Why do we engage in the “What if” game? When do we play it? What are the consequences? Read More

January 20, 2010

Why “Why does this Matter?” Matters when it comes to Student Motivation and Performance

For parents and teachers concerned about student motivation, Hulleman and Harackiewicz’ research provides an elegant and effective tool for enhancing student interest and performance. Read More

January 5, 2010

How was school? “Fine” vs. "Boring" vs. “Even Better than Yesterday!”

Why is it that so often students respond to “How was your day” with responses along the lines of:

“It was fine.” -or- “It was OK.” -or- “It was boring.”

December 16, 2009

Role Models for Children: Dennis Denning or Tiger Woods?

Over the past two weeks, Tiger Woods has been the center of a media maelstrom due to numerous accounts of his marital infidelity. Despite Tiger's pleas for privacy, the media and the public appear to be less than satiated with Tiger updates. Read More

December 8, 2009

Sex Sells, and so does Tiger Woods, but do we buy his apology?

Tiger made his bed, and now he has to sleep in it. He has a unique opportunity to show kids how to handle adversity off the golf course with humility, grace, and repentance. Read More

December 1, 2009

Bobby Bowden and Charlie Weis: A Tale of Two Coaches

Why is it that sports fans spend inordinate amounts of time and energy thinking about, speculating, debating, and even arguing about the head coaching position at their alma mater or hometown university? What is it about the coaching profession that engenders such passion with regards to who is the coach? Read More

November 24, 2009

Monday Morning Quarterbacking: The Case of the Hindsight Bias

The hindsight bias is pervasive – it is certainly not limited to the world of sports. Whether it is gamblers saying after the fact they knew what would happen, or the media after a tragedy explaining how we should have known it would happen, we all fall prey to the hindsight bias. Read More

November 16, 2009

Why Bill Belichick’s Call on 4th and Two Made Patriots Fans Feel Blue

Coach Belichick was merely playing the percentages in an attempt to give his team what he believed (and what statistics support) was their best chance possible to defeat the Indianapolis Colts. Read More

Sport and Competition Basics

From schoolyard chants to Super Bowl championships, playful competition finds its way into nearly all aspects of culture. Fighting to win draws on cooperation, concentration, coordination, and creativity--things worth striving for in their own right. That's why sports are more than just fun and games.

Go to the Sport and Competition Basics page for more on Sport and Competition including:

Current Issue

Heartbreak and Home Runs: The Power of First Experiences

How early life experiences shape our character.

Goal Posts

Subscribe to Goal Posts

Sport and Competition Basics

Current Issue