Start Date: 6/30/2026 9:00 AM CEST
End Date: 6/30/2026 10:00 PM CEST
Location:
Strasbourg, AL France 8012
Organization Name:
EASP
Contact:
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
New Directions in Self-Regulation and Goal Striving: A Pluralistic Vision for Motivated Behavior
EASP 2026 Pre-Conference | June 30, 2026 | Strasbourg, France
Co-Chairs: Yael Ecker, Daniela Becker, Katharina Bernecker
About the Pre-Conference
Traditional paradigms have equated the pursuit of meaningful goals with achievement, effort, and long-term goal pursuit. While valuable, these perspectives have also constrained our understanding. This pre-conference invites motivation scientists to participate in a shift toward a pluralistic understanding of motivated behavior—one that welcomes the full spectrum of how people achieve what is genuinely important to them. We envision a framework that moves beyond the limitations of traditional achievement-oriented models to embrace: hedonic goals and how pleasure-seeking contributes to flourishing; maintenance goals as active pursuit of stability through persistence; diverse Self-Control Strategies beyond willpower; and multilevel perspectives recognizing goal pursuit across micro and macro levels. This pre-conference explicitly invites researchers who connect recent theoretical advances with real-world applications, bringing together motivation researchers from health and well-being, environmental psychology, education, and relationship science.
Philosophy of Equal Platform
This pre-conference is designed around pluralistic engagement, where diverse perspectives receive equal attention. Rather than traditional formats centering around keynote speakers, we create a platform where ideas take precedence over academic rank.
Setting the Research Agenda
Our ultimate aim is to establish new priorities for the field of motivated behavior and self-regulation. By the end of this pre-conference, attendees will acquire a more diverse view on goal pursuit with emphasis on concrete applications across multiple life domains.
Confirmed Speakers
We've invited several researchers to share their perspective and contribute to this pre-conference’s pluralistic vision: Esther Papies, Marie Hennecke, Wilhelm Hofmann, Axel Grund & Sebastian Schmid.
We Welcome the Following Types of Contributions:
- Perspective Talk: Offers new theoretical, methodological, or applied perspectives for the field. May include, but goes beyond, empirical data.
- Empirical Talk: Presents a current research project with empirical findings.
- Short Talk: Shares preliminary findings, emerging ideas or provocative questions.
Submit you application until January 5, 2026, midnight (CET), via the following link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexYIJcQVl2POotH_LSHEZJncuNy0131rA5R0ceiTLPzKOEbQ/viewform?usp=preview
Submissions must include a 250-word abstract and a description of how the talk relates to the pre-conference themes (new directions for the field, applied relevance). Researchers from all career stages are encouraged to apply for all three formats. Selection will be based on format suitability and thematic fit to the overarching theme. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by January 25, 2026.
Important information:
Please note that all attendees, including speakers and audience, must register for both the EASP General Meeting and the pre-conference via the official EASP registration portal. The pre-conference fee (€60) includes lunch and coffee breaks. Participants may register for one pre-conference only to avoid scheduling conflicts. All speakers are expected to attend in person.
