Professor of Psychology and Social Behavior
Ph.D. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Great Britain
(949) 824-9219
heckhaus@uci.edu
4316 Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway
Department:
Psychology and Social Behavior
Specializations:
life-span developmental psychology, motivation, individual agency and social context
General areas of interest are: life-span developmental psychology, motivational psychology, control behavior, psychological influences on health, and developmental regulation across the life span. My ongoing research addresses the role of the individual as an active agent in major life-course transitions and when confronted with challenging life events. Specifically, our research team currently conducts empirical studies in three areas: (1) psychological and in particular motivational processes involved in social mobility during the transition to adulthood and in educational and vocational careers, (2) goal engagement and disengagement during adulthood and old age, and (3) the role of individual differences in the regulation of goal engagement and in implicit motives (achievement, power, affiliation) for shaping the way individuals influence their own development.