The Psychology of Mattering: Understanding the Human Need to be Significant - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Gordon L. Flett, Ph.D., is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology at York University in Toronto, Canada, where he held a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Personality & Health for over two decades. He is also the former Associate Dean of Research and former Director of the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research in the Faculty of Health at York University.

Dr. Flett is recognized globally for his seminal contributions to research and theory on the role of perfectionism in mental and physical health, and more recently, his foundational work on the psychology of mattering and its role in well-being and health. He is a member of the Canadian Psychological Association and in 2024/2025 he was named the Honorary President of the Canadian Psychological Association. He is also a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, which has cited him earlier in his career as one of the top 25 most productive authors in psychology. Dr. Flett is also the co-creator of numerous self-report measures assessing perfectionism and mattering (e.g., Anti-Mattering Scale, the Fear of Not Mattering Inventory).

Dr. Flett is extensively engaged in knowledge translation and exchange. His work has received widespread attention and has been the subject of numerous media stories, including coverage on CTV, CNN, and the BBC and in Scientific American, the Atlantic, the New York Times, the New Yorker and the Washington Post. His engagement includes several podcast appearances and appearances on CBC Radio and National Public Radio and most recently, on the Oprah Winfrey podcast on mattering in January 2026.

Finally, reflecting his commitment to community issues, Dr. Flett has received the Community and Leadership Award, Toastmasters International, District 60. He has also received the City of Mississauga Certificate of Recognition for “Outstanding Commitment to the Community” and the Peel District School Board Award of Excellence for Community Service.