Dustin Thoman
- SPN Mentor
My research focuses on understanding human motivational processes, particularly those related to intrinsic motivation. I explore how intrinsic motivation develops and is maintained through self-regulation processes, how social factors influence intrinsic motivation, and the reciprocal relationships between individual interests (in specific activities or domains), social identity, and choices.
I have always been curious about how and why people develop interest and sustain motivation for specific academic domains, careers, and other lifelong pursuits. Further, I am curious about how the development and maintenance of these interests influence and are influenced by one’s social identity and social interactions. Each of my specific lines of research contributes to the understanding, from different angles, of these general questions.
Primary Interests:
- Applied Social Psychology
- Interpersonal Processes
- Motivation, Goal Setting
- Personality, Individual Differences
- Prejudice and Stereotyping
- Self and Identity
Research Group or Laboratory:
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Video Gallery
NSF EHR Core Research (ECR) Program and CSU Grantees
Additional Videos
Journal Articles:
- Sansone, C., & Thoman, D. B. (2006). Maintaining activity engagement: Individual differences in the process of self-regulating motivation. Journal of Personality, 74(6), 1697-1720.
- Sansone, C., & Thoman, D. B. (2005). Does what we feel affect what we learn? Some answers and new questions. Learning and Instruction, 15, 507-515.
- Sansone, C., & Thoman, D. B. (2005). Interest as the missing motivator in self-regulation. European Psychologist, 10(3), 175- 186.
- Thoman, D. B., Sansone, C., & Pasupathi, M. (2007). Talking about interest: Exploring the role of social interaction for regulating motivation and the interest experience. Journal of Happiness Studies, 8(3), 335-370.
- Thoman, D. B., Smith, J. L., & Silvia, P. J. (2011). The resource replenishment function of interest. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2, 592-599.
- Thoman, D. B., White, P. H., Yamawaki, N., & Koishi, H. (2008). Variations of gender-math stereotype content affect women’s vulnerability to stereotype threat. Sex Roles, 58, 702-712.
- Uchino, B. N., Thoman, D., & Byerly, S. (2010). Inference patterns in theoretical social psychology: Looking back as we move forward. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4, 417-427.
Other Publications:
- Sansone, C., Thoman, D. B., & Smith, J. L. (2010). Interest and self-r egulation. In R. Hoyle (Ed.), Handbook of Personality and Self-Regulation (pp. 192-217). Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Courses Taught:
- Graduate Seminar in Social Psychology
- Multivariate Statistics
- Research in Social Psychology
- Social Psychology
Dustin Thoman
Department of Psychology
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, California 92182
United States of America