Psychological Motivation Research Articles

Motivations to Engage in Physical Activity Among Non-traditional College Students at a Hispanic-serving Institution

Exercise motivations for undergraduate college students vary for numerous reasons. Regardless of those reasons, it is important for higher education administrators to understand these motivations to provide opportunities that increase exercise behavior. Undergraduate students attending a Hispanic-serving Institution (HSI) in a metro area in the northeast region of the United States were administered the Exercise Motivations Inventory-2 (EMI-2) (N = 140) to ascertain their motivations to engage in physical activity (PA), particularly to compare the differences between traditional (TS) and non-traditional (NTS) college students. Three variations (i.e., age, children, and employment status) were used to compare the different motivations to engage in PA. NTS over 25 years old or having children scored significantly higher on the physical and psychological health-related motivations (e.g., ill-health avoidance, positive health, stress management, and revitalization). TS scored significantly higher on social-related motivations (e.g., affiliation and competition). There was no significant difference in motivation to engage in PA between students’ employment status. Results highlight different motivations to engage in PA between TS and NTS. This article presents tailored interventions for specific student cohorts to promote an increase in PA participation at HSI.Keywords: Exercise Motivation, Hispanic-Serving Institution, Non-Traditional College Students, Physical Activity, Traditional College Students

The Psychological Motivations Left by Exile in the Souls of Knight Poets

The Psychological Motivations Left by Exile in the Souls of Knight Poets

Do Dark Humour Users Have Dark Tendencies? Relationships between Dark Humour, the Dark Tetrad, and Online Trolling.

Humour and antisocial behaviour on the internet are under-researched. Online spaces have opened a gateway for new ways to express unrestrained humour (e.g., dark humour) and ways to behave antisocially (e.g., online trolling). The tendencies and motivations of those engaging with such humour and behaviour are yet to be clearly established and understood. The present study aimed to fill this gap by exploring the interplay between dark humour, online trolling, and dark personality traits. Participants (N = 160) completed an online survey consisting of trait scales to assess the Dark Tetrad, dark humour, and online trolling, as well as two online trolling tasks (enjoyment and ability) and two dark humour meme tasks (enjoyment and ability). The results confirmed relationships between the Dark Tetrad and the dark humour trait, and several Dark Tetrad traits were related to the enjoyment of and ability to produce dark humour. Furthermore, dark humour and online trolling were closely related. The findings also revealed that online trolls did not enjoy being trolled but did enjoy trolling, and this ability to troll is underpinned by sadism. These findings illustrate the potential dark psychological motivations for using dark humour, demonstrate that online trolling is infused with darker forms of humour, and provide deeper insights into online trolls.

Study on consumers' motivation to buy green food based on meta-analysis

IntroductionThere exists a noticeable gap between consumers' willingness to purchase green food and their actual purchase behavior. However, the awareness of green development is a crucial factor influencing this purchase behavior and acts as an internal driving force promoting green consumption. Consumers' green development awareness is shaped by various psychological motivations, including environmental concern, health consciousness, knowledge, norms, and price considerations. The existing literature often focuses on specific regions or groups, lacking comprehensive cross-regional and multivariate evaluations, and frequently overlooks the potential impact of moderating variables such as economic development level, product type, and behavior type.MethodsTo clarify the overall effect of each motivational factor on green food purchase behavior, this study conducted a meta-analysis. We selected eight causal variables and three moderating variables that significantly influence consumers' green food purchase behavior. The analysis included 132 independent effect values from 45 research papers.ResultsThe meta-analysis revealed that: Consumers' green food purchase behavior is significantly positively correlated with eight motivational factors: environmental awareness, health awareness, green attitude, green knowledge, subjective norms, price awareness, perceived behavior control, and perceived usefulness. Economic development level, product type, and behavior type significantly affect consumers' green food purchase behavior. The impact of motivational factors on actual purchase behavior is weaker than on purchase intention, suggesting that interventions should focus on converting purchase intentions into actual purchase behavior. The findings indicate that environmental responsibility, government policies, and marketing strategies can influence consumers' psychological motives, guiding them toward more responsible consumption choices.DiscussionEnhancing consumers' environmental and health awareness is essential, and policy support and marketing strategies can effectively promote green food consumption. These insights underscore the importance of targeted interventions to bridge the gap between green purchase intention and behavior.

Business student problem-solving skills and e-learning management in Malaysia: mediating role of student psychological motivation and peer collaboration

PurposeE-learning has demonstrated its value as a powerful tool for enhancing students' educational experience. This paper uses a quantitative approach to examine the impact of students' cognitive problem-solving skills on their e-learning management ability. In addition, it investigates the parallel mediation role of student psychological motivation and peer collaboration. Moreover, the moderating role of gender was examined to identify the difference in e-learning management ability among male and female students.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 214 Malaysian business students using an online survey. For the analysis, the researcher utilized both SPSS and a SMART PLS software.FindingsThe results show that cognitive problem-solving skills directly impact student e-learning management. Moreover, psychological motivation and peer collaboration mediate the relationship between cognitive problem-solving and student e-learning management. The study's results reported that female students' psychological motivation is higher than males in managing their e-learning environment. The study found that an e-learning environment helps students develop cognitive problem-solving skills, and students can manage their e-learning independently.Originality/valueThe COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 worldwide has shifted the educational system from a traditional approach to an online context. There is a lack of studies examining students' cognitive problem-solving skills, their ability to manage e-learning and investigating gender differences. The findings reported here are novel in the context of Malaysia. Little evidence exists about the impact of problem-solving among business students on e-learning management ability while providing insight into gender differences.

Deciphering dynamic interactions among multidimensional psychological motivations, academic performance, and sociocultural adjustment: The critical influence of excessive WeChat use

As the preeminent mobile social media platform in Mainland China, WeChat's meteoric expansion has revolutionized the dynamics of interpersonal communication and the modalities of mutual interaction among individuals. Despite the escalating significance of mobile social media in the cross-cultural adaptation of international students, existing scholarly works have largely neglected the underlying relationship between psychological motivations, excessive WeChat use, academic performance, and sociocultural adaptation of these students. Anchored in uses and gratifications theory and cross-cultural adaptation paradigm, the primary objectives of this study are to devise a theoretical model and to scrutinize differential psychological motivations propelling international students' WeChat usage, its association with excessive WeChat use, and impacts on academic performance and sociocultural adjustment. The proposed model undergoes meticulous evaluation through data amassed online from 598 Chinese international students studying in Germany. Sequential analytical techniques, especially Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling, were employed to elucidate the dynamic interplay among key variables. The final results validate the path effect suggesting that both hedonic and social motivations are positive predictors of excessive WeChat use. Moreover, excessive WeChat use is negatively correlated with academic performance and sociocultural adjustment. However, utilitarian motivation is not significantly related to excessive WeChat use. By demystifying the driving factors and consequences of excessive WeChat use, these findings not only accentuate the pivotal role of mobile social media in the cross-cultural adaptation of international students but also enrich the theoretical landscape and enhance the strategic approaches for educators and academic institutions.

The empathetic refutational interview to tackle vaccine misconceptions: Four randomized experiments.

We introduce and report early stage testing of a novel, multicomponent intervention that can be used by healthcare professionals (HCPs) to address false or misleading antivaccination arguments while maintaining empathy for and understanding of people's motivations to believe misinformation: the "Empathetic Refutational Interview" (ERI). We conducted four experiments in 2022 with participants who were predominantly negative or on the fence about vaccination (total n = 2,545) to test four steps for tailoring an HCP's response to a vaccine-hesitant individual: (a) elicit their concerns, (b) affirm their values and beliefs to the extent possible, (c) refute the misinformed beliefs in their reasoning in a way that is tailored to their psychological motivations, and (d) provide factual information about vaccines. Each of the steps was tested against active control conditions, with participants randomized to conditions. Overall, compared to controls, we found that observing steps of the ERI produced small effects on increasing vaccine acceptance and lowering support for antivaccination arguments. Critically, an HCP who affirmed participants' concerns generated significantly more support for their refutations and subsequent information, with large effects compared to controls. In addition, participants found tailored refutations (compared to control responses) more compelling, and displayed more trust and openness toward the HCP giving them. The ERI can potentially be leveraged and tested further as a tailored communication tool for HCPs to refute antivaccination misconceptions while maintaining trust and rapport with patients. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

An Exploratory Study on the Conceptualization of Burnout among the Professional Esports Athletes: Focused on League of Legends Champions Korea League.

Research on the stress and burnout experienced by athletes in the esports field remains limited, necessitating an approach that considers the unique environment and circumstances of esports athletes. This study aims to explore the conceptualization of burnout experiences among professional esports athletes. The participants included 88 athletes from the League of Legends Championship Korea (LCK). Among these, in-depth interviews were conducted with 7 athletes who had experience in international tournaments (the World Championship), while an open-ended survey was completed by 81 athletes. Data collected through in-depth interviews and an open-ended survey were digitized and utilized for analysis. Through critical review by another author and inductive categorization, the conceptual components of esports athletes' burnout were derived. Through the analysis of 251 raw datum, it was conceptualized into five conceptual factors: performance, overtraining, interpersonal relationships, physical and psychological exhaustion, and career and motivation. The results of this study confirm that esports athletes, like athletes in other conventional sports, experience burnout during their careers, highlighting issues in their unique environment, particularly in aspects of interpersonal relationships and training and rest conditions. This research can serve as a foundational resource for effective athletes' psychological health management in the esports field and underscores the need for further research on burnout among esports athletes.

A personal reflection on Bowen family systems theory by Dr Michael Kerr

AbstractThis interview with Dr Michael Kerr highlights his ongoing interest in science, biology and neuroscience. Guided by Bowen family systems theory, Dr Kerr's observations examine how research is showing links between physical health, the immune response and psychological motivation and wellbeing. Wellbeing is compromised in less adaptive families, which succumb more easily to any anxiety generated outside the family, as well as the chronic anxiety generated within the family. Amid times of societal regression, the capacity to adapt in a way that promotes survival and wellbeing depends on the level of differentiation of self. Differentiation of self is the sum of the capacity to maintain emotional objectivity, emotional neutrality and to take action. Psychiatrist, Dr Michael (Mike) Kerr, who more recently published Bowen Theory's Secrets: Revealing the hidden lives of families (2019), co‐authored the seminal work on Bowen family systems theory, Family Evaluation, in 1988 with Dr Murray Bowen. From 1990 to 2011, after Dr Bowen's death, Mike was the Director of the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family in Washington, DC. He is passionate about the relationship between differentiation of self, illness and the family emotional process and how this relates to the biological and evolutionary processes that operate in non‐human species. Mike developed the unidisease concept and is well known for his work interviewing Dr Murray Bowen on Bowen family systems theory between 1979 and 1986 for the Bowen‐Kerr Interview Series. A special issue on Bowen theory would not be complete without a commentary from Mike. So, in this interview with Bowen family systems therapist, Dr Linda MacKay, Mike discusses his life effort to research and apply Bowen theory.

Psychological Mechanism of Flowing Male Stars' Cross-gender Endorsement on Young Women's Consumption Behavior

The purpose of this study is to explore the psychological mechanism of cross-gender endorsement of mobile male stars on young women's consumption behavior. Through literature review, current situation analysis and empirical research, this paper reveals the psychological motivation and influence behind this phenomenon. It is found that the cross-gender endorsement of flowing male stars has a significant impact on young women's consumption behavior, which is mainly realized through psychological mechanisms such as attention attraction, emotional identity and conformity psychology. Enterprises should make full use of this phenomenon and formulate targeted marketing strategies to meet the consumption needs of young women. Based on these findings, this paper provides enterprises with a series of marketing strategies and suggestions for young women's market. This study not only enriches the relevant theories of consumer psychology and marketing, but also provides a useful reference for enterprises to formulate effective marketing strategies.

A qualitative study of the experiences of insulin use by older people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

There is a rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes among older people. This population also suffers from co-morbidity and a greater number of diabetes related complications, such as visual and cognitive impairment, which can potentially affect their ability to manage insulin regimens. Understanding the experiences of older people when they transition to insulin will help the development of healthcare interventions to enhance their diabetes outcomes, overall health and quality of life. The aims of this exploratory study were to (1) understand the experiences of older people with type 2 diabetes in relation to insulin treatment initiation and management and (2) use this understanding to consider how the insulin management support provided to older people by healthcare providers could be more tailored to their needs. A qualitative study using semi structured (remote) interviews with older people with diabetes (n = 10) and caregivers (n = 4) from the UK. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed, and framework analysis was used to analyse the data. Three main themes, along with six subthemes, were generated from the study data. Participants generally felt at ease with insulin administration following training, yet some reported feelings of failure at transitioning to insulin use. Participants were also frustrated at what they perceived were insufficient resources for effective self-management, coupled with a lack of professional interest in optimising their health as older people. Some also expressed dissatisfaction regarding the brevity of their consultations, inconsistent information from different healthcare professionals and poor treatment coordination between primary and secondary care. Overall, the study emphasised that older people need better support, education and resources to help manage their insulin use. Healthcare professionals should be encouraged to adopt a more individualised approach to supporting older people that acknowledges their prior knowledge, physical and psychological capabilities and motivation for diabetes self-management. In addition, better communication between different services and greater access to specialist support is clearly needed for this older population. An integrated care pathway for insulin use in older people could be considered. This would include an assessment of the older person's needs and capacity on their initiation to insulin; targeted education and training in self-management; timely access to appropriate emotional and peer support resources; care plans developed collaboratively with patients; and individualised glucose targets that recognise the needs and preferences of the older person.

The pursuit of splendour: a recipe of psychological motivations driving conspicuous luxury consumption

PurposeThe purpose of the present study is to examine and validate a research model encompassing power distance belief, need for uniqueness, self-monitoring, self-construal, social adjustive attitude, and value-expressive attitude as the causal antecedents for conspicuous luxury consumption.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data was collected from a large consumer panel. The study applied a combinatory partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) approach in examining the research hypotheses and proposition.FindingsThe results indicated the effects of power distance belief, need for uniqueness, self-monitoring, and self-construal on social adjustive attitude and value-expressive attitude, which in turn determine conspicuous luxury consumption. In addition, the fsQCA findings revealed three configurations that articulate the complex interactions of the causal antecedents.Originality/valueThis study enriches the literature by providing a comprehensive understanding of the psychological motivation factors that drive conspicuous luxury consumption and assists luxury retailers in developing targeted strategies to appeal to consumers.

Factors associated with psychological distress during genetic counseling in high-risk women with breast cancer in Turkey

PurposeThis study aims to shed light on the rather neglected area of research of psychological distress in women facing genetic counselling in Turkey, where few institutions providing such counselling exist.Methods105 breast cancer patients presenting for genetic testing completed a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire as well as validated structured questionnaires including the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S/T) and the Health Motivation Sub-dimension of Champion’s Health Belief Model Scale.Results69.5% of the participants had lost a family member from cancer; 80% said the term “cancer” elicited negative thoughts (e.g., death, fear, and incurable disease). 62.9% and 37.1% attributed cancer to stress or sorrow, and genetic susceptibility, respectively. There was a negative association between health motivation and BDI scores (r:-0.433, p < 0.001). Married individuals had higher BDI and STAI-S scores (p = 0.001, p = 0.01 respectively), as well as lower STAI-T scores (p = 0.006). BDI, STAI-S and STAI-T scores were higher in those refusing genetic testing (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.003 respectively) and those with metastases (p = 0.03, p = 0.01, p = 0.03 respectively). Furthermore, individuals with low health motivation were more likely to exhibit high BDI scores (p < 0.001) and low STAI-T scores (p = 0.02).ConclusionCommon perceptions and beliefs about cancer and genetic testing during genetic counselling were found to have a negative impact on distress in high-risk women with breast cancer. The negative relationship between psychological distress and health motivation may reduce patients' compliance with genetic counselling recommendations. A comprehensive psychological evaluation should be considered as an important part of genetic counselling.

Exploring the Formation Mechanism of Anti-Consumption Behavior of Youth Groups

With consumerism sweeping the globe today, anti-consumption groups are also gradually rising, and young people, as the main force of consumption and an important participant in anti-consumption, have attracted much attention for their consumption behaviours and consumption psychology. Therefore, from the perspective of anti-consumption theory, this study will explore the behavioural characteristics of anti-consumption behaviours of Chinese youth groups, their motives and psychological motivations under anti-consumption behaviours. Through the combination of semi-structured interviews and participant observation, it can be found that the anti-consumption groups of Chinese youths emphasize on "rational consumption" in their anti-consumption behaviours, and have a strong personal and financial tendency. In terms of the reasons for their behaviours, the motivation is based on personal emotions and economic considerations, but the psychological motivation is for the purpose of enhancing consumer well-being. Therefore, the anti-consumption behaviour of the youth group is mainly formed under the combined effect of personal reality, spiritual needs and social environment, with the social environment being the precondition for anti-consumption behaviour, personal reality being the direct cause, and spiritual needs being the root cause, and anti-consumption behaviour will only arise if these three factors are present at the same time.

A Systematic Review on the Reinforcement Loop in Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery: The Interplay of Social Media, Self-Perception, and Repeat Procedures.

This systematic review delves into the impact of social media on self-perception and the escalating interest in clinical aesthetic procedures, proposing that social media significantly influences beauty standards and increases demand for aesthetic enhancements. Following PRISMA guidelines, a mixed-method analysis of 34 articles was conducted, sourced from various databases, focusing on social media's psychological effects on clinical aesthetics decisions. The studies encompassed a broad spectrum, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies, reflecting diverse geographical and cultural perspectives. The quantitative analysis demonstrated a strong positive correlation between social media usage and the consideration of aesthetic procedures (r=0.45, p<0.001), indicating a significant impact. Specific findings included a large effect size (Cohen's d=0.8) for the relationship between time spent on social media and the desire for aesthetic enhancements. Individuals spending more than 3 hours per day on social media platforms were twice as likely to consider aesthetic procedures compared to those with less usage, with a 95% confidence interval indicating robustness in these findings. Confirming the reinforcing effect of social media on aesthetic decision-making, this study highlights the complex interplay between digital media exposure, altered self-perception, and the increased inclination towards aesthetic procedures. It suggests a critical need for practitioners to carefully navigate the digital influence on patient's desires, reinforcing the significance of understanding psychological motivations and societal pressures in clinical aesthetics. This comprehensive analysis offers pivotal insights for clinical practice and ongoing research into social media's role in contemporary beauty standards. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Drawing a satisfying picture: An exploratory study of human-AI interaction in AI Painting through breakdown–repair communication strategies

Artificial intelligence (AI) painting represents a burgeoning field in AI-generated content; however, there is limited research on users’ preferences and biases concerning AI painting compared to traditional forms of art. This study seeks to shed light on the communication and interaction dynamics between painters and AI tools in the process of creating a satisfactory image. A self-report study involving 52 volunteers and 312 reports was conducted, analyzing users’ communication strategies amid AI painting-related communication breakdowns. The investigation aimed to unveil users’ experiences, behavioral patterns, psychological motivations, and needs. The study identified three primary communication barrier categories in AI painting and proposed 10 corresponding repair strategies. It established a user experience framework within the evolving dynamics of user interaction, encompassing behavioral patterns and psychological motivations. Users’ perceptions of the AI painting system significantly impacted the interaction process, leading to an anthropomorphic view of the system as a “potential assistant” and the continuous use of effective strategies to “train” the AI painting system. Conversely, perceiving the system as a “flawed collaborator” prompted the adaptive expectation strategy. Persistent repair failures may lead to users attributing responsibility to the limitation of AI system, culminating in interaction termination. The study also explores the influence of user interaction experiences, including user background and interaction efficiency. By modeling users’ behavior patterns and underlying psychological cognitions, this research enhances the understanding of user psychology and preferences, an understanding that can be used to improve the efficiency of human–computer communication.

FOSTERING PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND IGNITING WORK MOTIVATION IN EMPLOYEES: GENDER AS MODERATOR

In today's rapidly evolving work environments, organisations recognize the critical importance of fostering psychological well-being and igniting work motivation among their employees. This study aims to explore the role of gender as a buffering effect in the association between employees’ psychological well-being and its work motivation. The study comprised 385 Malaysian public sector personnel as participants. While psychological well-being and work motivation are universal concerns, gender differences may shape the ways in which individuals perceive and respond to various organisational strategies and practices aimed at enhancing these outcomes. The study's results reveal a significant relationship between psychological well-being and employees' motivation, indicating that individuals with higher levels of environmental mastery exhibit greater drive and enhanced performance in the workplace. Interestingly, the study finds that female employees tend to have slightly lower levels of motivation compared to their male counterparts, although the difference is not statistically significant. These findings hold valuable implications for professionals and policymakers, shedding light on the intricate interplay between work motivation, individual performance, and well-being, particularly in the public sector. Furthermore, the study delves into the practical applications of human capital and organisational behaviour, offering actionable insights for leveraging these concepts to optimize employee motivation and productivity.

Coaching dynamics in elite volleyball: The role of a need-supportive and need-thwarting coaching style during competitive games

Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this game-to-game study among Flemish volleyball coaches and athletes had two primary objectives. First, we examined how variations in need-supportive and need-thwarting coaching styles related to variations in athletes’ basic psychological needs, motivation, and coach-rated performance. Second, we examined whether athletes who perceived their coach as need-thwarting during a specific game would experience different outcomes based on the overall need-supportive or need-thwarting coaching style they encountered across games. Linear mixed modeling on data from 190 elite volleyball athletes (Mage = 23.95, 32.6 % male) and their 26 coaches (Mage = 48.12, 95.7 % male) indicated positive associations between game-specific need-supportive coaching and athletes’ reports of game-specific basic psychological need experiences and motivation, as well as coach-rated performance, whereas game-specific need-thwarting coaching showed opposite trends. Athlete perceptions of a coaching style were more predictive of the outcomes than coach perceptions. Second, the lack of systematic cross-level interactions between game-specific coaching and team-level coaching indicated that the observed correlates of game-specific need-thwarting and need-supportive coaching hold regardless of the perceived overall need-thwarting or need-supportive style of the coach across games.

Enhancing Learning Efficacy for Chinese Undergraduates Majoring in Music — A Constructive Approach

In 1977, the American psychologist Albert Bandura first proposed the concept of Self-efficacy. Once proposed, this concept has had an impact on several research fields. In the field of music learning, self-efficacy, as the intrinsic psychological motivation in the process of music learning, is an important factor affecting students' music learning. This paper examines the self-efficacy status of undergraduates majoring in Music in China using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Based on the results of 50 questionnaires and 6 interviews, this study further proposed possible strategies to enhance students' self-efficacy from a constructivist approach. Constructivism learning theory emphasizes the dynamic nature of knowledge, the richness and difference of students' experience, and the active construction of learning, social interaction and situation, which has certain theoretical value and practical significance for college music education. This paper is expected to provide future researchers and educators in music education with research-driven theoretical support on how to facilitate undergraduates' music learning.

A Study on College Students' Motivation of Searching for "Travel Partners" to Travel Together

The rise of the Internet has made the forms of youth tourism more diverse, and child travel is a new type of companion travel in recent years. This paper studies the composition and characteristics of college students' group companion travel motivation through in-depth interviews, and summarizes their travel behavior and psychological motivation driven by different needs. This study reviews the previous research on the motivation of Internet-based self-help travel, and finds that there are differences in the ways of obtaining travel companions between child travel and Internet-based self-help travel. At last, the study points out the "emotional hidden trouble" behind the child-friendly tourism, and looks forward to the innovation that the tourism virtual community platform can make to meet the trend of child-friendly tourism, so as to ensure the safety and convenience of child-friendly tourism.