|
In this workgroup, we will explore different sources for people's motivation and (experiences of) control. We assume that motivated behaviour is not always instigated by the conscious, willing, person and that stimuli in the social environment can also motivate behavior. That our behaviour is to a certain extent initiated by our environment, does not mean, however, that we do not experience control over our actions. Most of us have a strong feeling of being an actual agent that is able to cause and control behavioural outcomes.
From this angle we will investigate how people’s experiences of motivation and control relate to the actual sources of their behaviour. We will focus on how information about actions, outcomes, and rewards is mentally computed and represented and will aim to understand objective behaviour and subjective experiences of it by investigating how such processes initiate and control behaviour, as well as influence the subjective experience of behaviour and control.
Based on this analysis, we will then investigate the regulation of behaviour and experiences in daily life situations, discussing implications for social and health behaviour, as well as feelings of autonomy and efficacy that determine whether and how people respond to the challenges they are faced with.
Dr. Ruud Custers, Utrecht University / University College London ( MoBeLab.eu) |
