“Each contributor is able to present his or her area of expertise, while at the same time making it clear why competence is important to that area....May very well be an essential addition to any motivation researcher's library, and it would also make a wonderful text for either an advanced seminar or a graduate course dedicated to the topic of motivation.”

—PsycCRITIQUES (on the first edition)


“You are holding in your hands a complete encyclopedia of current thinking on motivation and, more generally, the psychology of achievement. I cannot imagine a more esteemed group of authors to guide readers through the fundamentals of this area—and right up to the cutting edge.”

—Angela Duckworth, PhD, Founder and Scientific Director, Character Lab; Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania


“Like the first edition of this handbook, the second edition brings together the world's greatest experts on competence motivation to provide readers with the most important ideas and recent discoveries. Andit does something else that is new to this edition and very significant: it discusses exciting applications in key domains of everyday life, including education, business, and athletics. More than ever, this is a 'must-read' handbook for researchers, practitioners, and students.”

—E. Tory Higgins, PhD, Stanley Schachter Professor of Psychology and Professor of Business, Columbia University


“This is a worthy and stunning sequel to the first edition, and much more than an update. Completely new chapters on core topics in motivation capture significant advances over the past decade. The coverage of intervention in each chapter is notable and refreshing. I can hardly wait to use this volume in my graduate seminar on motivation, where the topics of application and practice are always underlying themes. This handbook is the best evidence to date that the field of motivation is alive and well, and that it provides a valuable framework for addressing complex, real-world challenges, such as the racial achievement gap and the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields. Kudos to the editors and chapter authors for assuring the continued vitality of our field.”

—Sandra Graham, PhD, Distinguished Professor and UC Presidential Chair in Education and Diversity, Department of Education, University of California, Los Angeles


“The second edition improves on its terrific predecessor with its deliberate attention to interventions that can promote achievement in schools and workplaces, making this volume extremely valuable to a broad audience of students, educators, and practitioners. The contributors are the most influential scholars in the field of motivation science. They provide critical perspectives on competence and motivation, with an eye toward both history and new frontiers.”

—Joshua Aronson, PhD, Associate Professor of Applied Psychology and Director, Mindful Education Lab, New York University