What is goal disruption theory?

      Goal disruption theory (GDT) is a theoretical framework that outlines when an unexpected goal violation (e.g., a spouse leaving, a failed exam) is most likely to cause psychological disequilibrium and explores the range of thought and action that is influenced as a result of this disequilibrium. Goal disruption theory represents a return to the grand system-based approaches of explaining behavior. Influenced by the scholarship of Tolman and Lewin, this expectancy-based framework posits a unifying framework for a host of behaviors that are typically perceived to be separate entities—at least in the current scientific era. 
To cite this webpage:
Siegel, J. T. (2013). Goal Disruption Theory. Retrieved from http://www.GDTheory.com