Edwin A. Locke

Who is Edwin A. Locke?

Professor Edwin A Locke is an American psychologist and a pioneer in goal-setting theory. He is a retired Dean’s Professor of Motivation and Leadership at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. He was also affiliated with the Department of Psychology. The Association for Psychological Science has praised him, saying, "Locke is the most published organizational psychologist in the history of the field. His pioneering research has advanced and enriched our understanding of work motivation and job satisfaction. The theory that is synonymous with his name — goal-setting theory — is perhaps the most widely-respected theory in industrial-organizational psychology. His 1976 chapter on job satisfaction continues to be one of the most highly-cited pieces of work in the field."

Locke is a proponent of global capitalism, was personally acquainted with the philosopher Ayn Rand and is affiliated with the Ayn Rand Institute. In recent years, he has become an outspoken opponent of the animal rights movement, especially the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. In a winter 2010 interview with Imagineer Magazine, he stated, "I don’t think PETA want all beings equal at all; I think they want man to suffer and die."