Offered Alternative - Poster Presentation International Positive Psychology Association 8th IPPA World Congress 2023

Chris Madsen (1851-1944), a flamboyant Danish American, who made it from 'rags to riches' - but how was his character and his motivation? (#602)

Frans Andersen 1
  1. Aarhus University, Denmark, Odense, SOUTHERN DENMARK, Denmark

Background: 

The flamboyant Danish-American Chris(tian) Madsen (1851-1944) had a long a complex life. He was born in a small Danish village and worked as a farm hand in his early years but ended as a famous US marshal in Oklahoma. Many authors have described Chris Madsen's life but until now there have been no scientific approaches. However, since 2022 a group of Danish and American researchers have established a project looking closer at Chris Madsen's life an personality. 

Aims: to analyse Chris Madsen's long and complex life and his motivation and personality. 

Method: primarily by analysing Chris Madsen's three autobiographies (1921, 1935-1936 and 1942), a radio interview (1937) as well as other texts written e.g. by family members or colleagues. 

Results: preliminary results will be presented at the conference.  

  1. Andersen, F.Ø. (2019). Chris Madsen: 1876 – A Transformative Year. In: Wild West History Association Journal. Volume 12, number 2, June 2019.
  • Please select up to 3 keywords from the following list to best describe your submission content: Achievement, Life span development, Motivation