Motivation

Want vs. need

• What are the varied ways in which individuals attempt to find a balance between satisfying internal needs and motives, while also satisfying and living up to the obligations of external social demands?
• What psychological factors predict greater motivation in people to engage in preventative health-related behaviour?
• How does a mother’s tone of voice differentially motivate their adolescents?
• What are the motivational consequences of being talked to with a controlling voice as opposed to a more supportive voice?
• What are the motivated social-cognitive factors that generate more (or less) manifestations of greed and acquisitiveness in people?

These are only a handful of the kinds of questions being asked by our internationally-regarded staff members in this area, and they address these questions with a mix of basic, theoretical approaches along with important applied methodologies and contexts.

We also carry out research in related areas including justice, fairness and equality, health behaviour, and emotion.