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The nature of goals in subjective selection: Origins, shaping forces, and salience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2026

Ze Hong Open the ORCID record for Ze Hong [Opens in a new window]
Ze Hong*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, University of Macau, Macau, China zehong@um.edu.mo https://kevinhong.home.blog/
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

This commentary enriches Singh’s subjective selection framework by focusing on the nature of goals. It considers their origins (biology, ecology, culture) and varying salience, allowing the model to account for both highly instrumental actions and seemingly goal-demoted behaviors like ritual, thus broadening its applicability.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e311
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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