Heroes ─ What They Do & Why We Need Them

Abraham Lincoln, Princess Diana, Rick in Casablanca---why do we perceive certain people as heroes? What qualities do we see in them? What must they do to win our admiration? In Heroes, Scott T. Allison and George R. Goethals offer a stimulating tour of the psychology of heroism, shedding light on what heroism and villainy mean to most people and why heroes---both real people and fictional characters---are so vital to our lives. The book discusses a broad range of heroes, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino, Senator Ted Kennedy, and explorer Ernest Shackleton, as well as villains such as Shakespeare's Iago. The authors highlight the Great Eight traits of heroes (smart, strong, selfless, caring, charismatic, resilient, reliable, and inspiring) and outline the mental models that we have of how people become heroes, from the underdog who defies great odds (David and Goliath) to the heroes who redeem themselves. Brimming with psychological insight, Heroes provides an illuminating look at heroes---and into our own minds as well.

Scott T. Allison is Professor of Psychology at the University of Richmond. Allison has published over 70 articles and chapters on topics such as heroes, underdogs, and martyrs. He has been the recipient of the University of Richmond's Distinguished Educator Award and the Virginia Council of Higher Education's Outstanding Faculty Award.
George R. Goethals is professor of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond. His scholarship focuses on presidential leadership. He is co-editor of Lincoln's Legacy of Leadership. Prior to joining the Jepson School at Richmond, he was on the faculty of Williams College, where he served as Provost and founded the Program in Leadership Studies.