Articles tagged with Motivation
A study from Michigan State University suggests that lack of motivation and equipment are the primary barriers to physical activity among adolescent boys. An after-school exercise program may help overcome this decrease in exercise, according to researcher Lorraine Robbins.
Peter Shizgal, a leading researcher in reward, motivation, and decision-making, has been awarded the prestigious Prix Adrien Pinard. A prolific scientist, he is known for his work on cognitive, emotional, and neural mechanisms that underlie human behavior.
A new study suggests that holding doors for others may be motivated by a desire to reduce the effort required, not just out of respect. The research found that when multiple people follow, the person holding the door holds it longer, and followers hasten their steps to fulfill an implicit pact.
A study found that people with HIV/AIDS feel reluctant to disclose their disease due to subtle clues from their communities. The motivation for this reluctance varies among individuals, with some valuing tolerance and others responding to social pressure.
A study by Gothenburg University found that motivated employees experience less stress in their work environment. The research highlights the importance of managers understanding what motivates their IT consultants to reduce turnover and increase profitability.
A new study in Psychological Science reports that thinking about a partner's support for goals can decrease motivation and increase procrastination. However, this phenomenon, known as self-regulatory outsourcing, can also lead to positive relationship outcomes if done consciously.
A new study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery found that personal motivation is a crucial factor in determining how quickly patients return to work following total knee replacement surgery. Motivated patients were able to return to work an average of 8.9 weeks after surgery, while those with lower motivation took longe...
Research finds that unrelated male macaques in the wild form close relationships with select males, resembling human friendship. These bonds are linked to future social dominance and successful mating, suggesting a role of politics in shaping male social dynamics.
Researchers found that when people believe a goal is autonomously chosen, they experience increased motivation and value, whereas imposed choices lead to decreased motivation. This study has implications for consumer behavior and marketing strategies.
A study published in Psychological Science found that associating an object with anger motivates people to want it, similar to how positive emotions motivate us. This surprising result suggests that anger has some positive features and can even drive motivation.
A new study found that people are willing to pay an envy premium for products they covet when motivated by benign envy. Malicious envy, on the other hand, leads to a desire to 'pull down' others, causing consumers to seek alternative products. This can result in increased sales of competing brands.
Researchers Prof. Dr. Albert Newen and Christoph Michel propose that self-deception can be a motivating factor in certain situations, while maintaining basic rational evaluation processes intact. However, excessive self-deception can lead to reality distortion and harm.
The 2010 Balzan Prizewinners were announced in Milan for their groundbreaking work in European History, The History of Theatre, Stem Cells, and Mathematics. Carlo Ginzburg won for his work on European History, while Manfred Brauneck received the prize for The History of Theatre.
A new study found that people tend to trust advice from advisors with disclosed conflicts of interest more than those without, leading to overestimation of property values. Despite the risks, transparency is still desirable when implemented correctly.
Researchers found that anxious conditions cause participants to become more engaged in their ideals and extreme in their religious convictions. The findings suggest that bold but vulnerable people gravitate to idealistic and religious extremes for relief from anxiety.
A study published in the Journal of Neurophysiology found that rejection by a romantic partner activates brain areas associated with motivation, reward, and addiction. This can lead to extreme behaviors like stalking, homicide, and suicide during break-ups.
A study using fMRI found that looking at photos of a former partner stimulated key brain areas involved in motivation, reward and addiction. The brain's attachment system showed signs of recovery over time, suggesting hope for those coping with rejection.
Researchers found that only one side of the brain can be motivated at a time, with subliminal cues influencing hand grip strength. This unilateral effect challenges traditional views on motivation and its relationship to conscious awareness.
Researchers found that Parkinson's patients with impulsive-compulsive spectrum behaviors have impaired self-control, but normal motivation. They prefer smaller immediate payments over larger delayed ones.
A University of Illinois study found that relying too much on e-mail and videoconferences can lead to a lack of trust among team members, which is critical for successful collaboration. The research suggests that businesses should balance the use of technology with face-to-face meetings to recharge relationships and maintain trust.
A new investigation reveals that anger provokes profound changes in the state of mind of individuals, as well as psychobiological parameters. Heart rate, arterial tension, and testosterone increase, but cortisol levels decrease. The study also highlights the complexity of emotions, with anger exhibiting unique patterns.
A study by University of Illinois professors found that those who ask themselves whether they will complete a task tend to do better than those who tell themselves they will. This phenomenon has implications for cognitive, social, and clinical psychology, as well as education and work settings.
A study by Susan Hughes found that both sexes use lower-pitched voices when speaking to more attractive partners, indicating a potential means of demonstrating attraction. The researchers suggest that altering one's voice may be a learned behavior based on cultural stereotypes rather than actual vocal characteristics.
A new Australian study found that mainstream consumers value prudence and self-control, but lack sympathy for those with high credit card debt. The research suggests consumer advocacy is a top-down phenomenon driven by governments and media, leading to limited personal action.
A study found that focusing on the negative effects of indoor tanning on appearance can reduce tanning behavior in young women, even those motivated by health concerns. The appearance-focused booklet also showed promise in reducing tanning behaviors among those with pathological motives for tanning.
Researchers found that autonomous motivation, driven by personal reasons, was a significant predictor of adherence and weight loss. The study suggests building motivation can be an effective means of promoting adherence and weight loss.
A new Northwestern University study finds that African-Americans show greater empathy for other African-Americans facing adversity than Caucasians do for Caucasian-Americans. The study suggests that identifying with a racial group can dramatically change one's ability to feel and respond to the pain of another person.
A recent study found that consumers in conflict are more likely to accept compromise alternatives and defer decisions, leading to unintended choices. The researchers identified two types of regulatory goals: those focused on gains and those focused on losses, which affect decision-making.
A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research reveals that different psychological processes drive consumer preferences, with 'projection' (predicting others' likes) and 'introjection' (considering others' preferences before one's own) underlying distinct motivations. Consumers who value uniqueness are more likely to like products ot...
A new study found that consumers who choose between equally appealing options build a positivity bubble to justify their decisions. However, this bubble is easily burst by minor negative information, leading to potential dissatisfaction in the long run.
Researchers found that Indians use mobile phones to transfer media files via Bluetooth for free, overcoming cumbersome processes, and even construct elaborate systems for entertainment content. The study suggests that motivation and not just usability barriers drive innovative uses of mobile phones in India.
Researchers found a positive correlation between individuals with a positive attitude towards physical activity and those who performed more unintentional physical activity. Unintentional activity, such as climbing stairs or walking further to reach a parking spot, can help burn extra calories.
Women who witness sexism may experience negative emotions and feel motivated to take action against men in general. Research by Chaudoir and Quinn found that catcalls can shape women's feelings and attitudes towards men, with bystander sexism impacting how female observers view all men more negatively.
A Norwegian PhD candidate's study sheds light on the struggles of mothers with eating difficulties, including feelings of guilt, shame, and anxiety. Despite being kept under wraps, these women face significant challenges in maintaining a double life, affecting their relationships and daily activities.
A new study by Ohio State University researchers found that people work about 30 percent harder when their group is competing against a lower-status group. The motivation gains were observed when students felt their group's superior status was threatened, and not when competing against similarly ranked teams or higher-ranked colleges.
Children with ADHD exhibit reduced ventral striatum volumes associated with symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsiveness. The study suggests that motivational deficiencies contribute to ADHD's imbalance in attention and hyperactivity levels.
A meta-analysis of 50 experiments found that consumers generally respond positively to having many choices, with a
A recent study by the Academy of Finland has found a correlation between school burnout and parental work burnout. Children of parents experiencing burnout are more likely to experience school burnout, with shared experiences often occurring between adolescents and parents of the same gender.
A new study by University of Illinois psychologists suggests that individuals with low achievement motivation actually perform better on tasks when they are framed as enjoyable. This finding challenges the common assumption that motivation is essential for success and highlights the importance of considering individual goals and prefer...
Researchers have identified a 'Getting-Out-of-Bed' (GoB) measure to assess motivation and life outlook in older adults. The study found that women with higher GoB scores were more likely to have good health-related quality of life, self-perceived health, and regular exercise at 6 months.
A survey of nearly 4,500 general surgery residents found that most are satisfied with their training and relationships with faculty and peers. However, they also reported concerns about their clinical skills, family life strain due to work stress, and need for additional specialty training to be competitive in the job market.
Researchers discovered that individuals with anhedonia, a core symptom of major depressive disorder, are less willing to make choices requiring greater effort in exchange for greater reward. This finding suggests a plausible connection between dopamine deficiency and reward processing in depression.
A study by Dr. Anat Bracha of Tel Aviv University found that participating in charitable events in public settings boosts donations due to positive recognition from the community. In contrast, monetary incentives are more effective in private settings, where social judgment is less present.
A new study in Journal of Consumer Research finds that process-oriented thinking can increase decision difficulty and hinder consumers' motivation. This type of thinking involves considering both means and end benefits when making purchases, leading to more difficult choices.
A new study examines how environmental cues influence consumer behavior, finding that primed goals can sustain for a duration or fade away. Consumers who rate themselves as unfit are more likely to select fitness-enhancing drinks after exposure to relevant words.
New research on the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (URICA) finds that motivational readiness is more about individual self-reflection than avoiding negative consequences. The study, published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, suggests that motivation and readiness to change are influenced by personal ...
A study found that participants who received exercise instructions in a difficult font were less motivated to engage in regular exercise, whereas those who received easy-to-read instructions were more willing to adopt the habit. Similarly, a recipe with a hard-to-read format led to lower willingness to attempt making sushi compared to ...
The Balzan Foundation has awarded four prestigious prizes in 2008 for outstanding contributions in Visual Arts, Moral Philosophy, Preventive Medicine, and Science of Climate Change. Maurizio Calvesi, Thomas Nagel, Ian H. Frazer, and Wallace S. Broecker received the awards with a total prize money of one million Swiss Francs.
Researchers found that hope is consistently associated with fewer symptoms of depression in patients and caregivers. Hope therapy treatment showed reduced depressive symptoms in participants who learned new hope-related skills.
A study published in Archives of Dermatology found that women are more likely to remove their tattoos due to social stigma and embarrassment, with 69% of participants being women. The study also revealed that societal support for women with tattoos is limited, leading to increased dissatisfaction with their tattoos over time.
A new study published in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice reveals that the motivation of small business managers has a long-term effect on firm growth. The study found that motivation is a relevant predictor of firm growth, with managers' motivations varying and affecting the growth achieved.
A research team led by UNC School of Public Health is investigating how interactive digital games can be designed to increase energy expenditure among young adults. The study aims to understand the impact of game design elements such as controller types, player perspective, and presence on players' motivation and physical activity.
A researcher studies job satisfaction among Chinese workers, examining unique labor market institutions such as membership in the Communist Party. His work also explores motivating factors for workers, including high performance workplaces, performance pay, and family-friendly practices.
A study published in BMC Psychiatry suggests a link between dopamine activity and lack of motivation in patients with schizophrenia. The research found that 11 out of 18 patients showed abnormal response to incentives, indicating an underlying brain chemical imbalance.
Researchers found that individuals preferred contributing to in-group pool, which increases everyone's stash, without harming anyone. Participants who could consult with each other showed increased preference for cooperation, challenging common assumption of human competitiveness.
A new study identifies four major motivators for high school senior drinking: experimentation, thrill-seeking, relaxation, and coping with life issues. Students who drink for these reasons show the heaviest and most problematic drinking behaviors, according to the study published in Prevention Science.
Research explores how imagining performances from first-person and third-person perspectives affects motivation. Third-person perspective was found to increase motivation to succeed, especially when envisioning success.
A new study by University of Alberta researcher Paul Joosse cautions against the ideological motivations behind 'ecoterrorism' in North America. The study suggests that individuals committing arson attacks may be acting for personal reasons, rather than environmental concerns, due to the lack of leaders in the Earth Liberation Front.
A comprehensive study by University of Texas researchers reveals 237 complex motivations for human sex, including physical, emotional, and insecurity-based factors. The findings challenge common assumptions about the simplicity of human sexuality.
A new study challenges existing explanations for horror movie enthusiasts, suggesting they enjoy the thrill of fear. Researchers found that viewers experience both negative and positive emotions simultaneously, including happiness in frightening moments.