Books like A theory of achievement motivation by John William Atkinson

Explores Abraham Maslow’s concept of self‑actualization and outlines the traits of individuals who reach the pinnacle of humanistic psychology.

This text sheds light on how people work - why they sometimes function well and, at other times, behave in ways that are self-defeating or destructive. Dweck presents her groundbreaking research on adaptive and maladaptive cognitive-motivational patterns and shows: how these patterns originate in people's self-theories; their consequences for the person - for achievement, social relationships, and emotional well-being; their consequences for society, from issues of human potential to stereotyping and intergroup relations; and the experiences that create them. Throughout, Dweck shows how examining self-theories illuminates basic issues of human motivation, social cognition, personality, the self, mental health, and development. This text is a must-read for researchers in social psychology, child development, and education, and is appropriate for both graduate and senior undergraduate students in these areas.