Motivation and emotion/Book/2024/Wisdom, motivation, and emotion
u3238162 Abiral Shrestha
What are the motivational-emotioal aspects of wisdom?
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Overview
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Wisdom is traditionally seen as the ability to make sound decisions and judgements based on knowledge, experience, and insight. Wisdom has been a fundamental topic in philosophical exploration of the human experience for centuries, with some of the earliest recorded teachings tracing back to the ancient Egyptian vizier, Ptahhotep, around the 25th to 24th centuries BCE. At the heart of wisdom lies the understanding and acceptance that any given issue can be viewed from multiple perspectives, with various interests, contexts, and potential outcomes. Wise decision-making involves the willingness to consider and account for these diverse possibilities when addressing the issue. The integration of motivation and emotion into wisdom suggests that wise decision-making is not just a cognitive process, but also deeply influenced by emotional regulation and motivational drives. These elements play a crucial role in how wisdom is developed and expressed in decision-making behaviour.
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| You are leading your group in a critical assignment for your University course. The project has a tight deadline, and the entire team has been working diligently to ensure its success. Suddenly, a crisis arises: a key team member, who was responsible for a significant portion of the work, has fallen ill and can no longer continue contributing to the project. The group is stressed, overwhelmed, and looking to you for guidance on how to move forward. |
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The key points are listed below:
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The key points are listed below:
Strong emotions can overwhelm rational thinking, leading to impulsive decisions that lack wisdom, particularly in high-pressure situations.
A focus on short-term gratification or external rewards can undermine the pursuit of wisdom, as individuals may prioritize immediate gains over thoughtful, long-term outcomes.
Insufficient empathy can result in unwise decisions that fail to consider the emotional well-being of others, leading to negative consequences in personal and social contexts.
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Historical Background of Wisdom
[edit | edit source]Wisdom has been a central concept in ancient philosophical traditions. In Greece, Socrates emphasized the pursuit of knowledge and self-awareness, while Plato and Aristotle explored the nature of wisdom as a virtue related to practical reasoning and ethical behaviour.
In the modern era, wisdom has been explored through various lenses, including psychology and cognitive science.
Researchers like Robert Sternberg have developed theories such as the "Balance Theory of Wisdom," which considers wisdom as the ability to make balanced decisions that consider the long-term consequences for oneself and others. This approach reflects a shift towards understanding wisdom as a blend of cognitive, emotional, and ethical components (Robert. J. Sternberg, 2014).
Motivation and Wisdom
[edit | edit source]Intrinsic Motivation
[edit | edit source]Intrinsic motivation, as outlined by Ryan and Deci (2000), refers to the drive to engage in activities that are inherently rewarding and fulfilling, rather than driven by external rewards or pressures. This type of motivation often stems from personal growth, curiosity, the desire to achieve mastery, or the wish to contribute positively to others' lives.
However, individuals motivated by short term rewards are more likely to make unwise decision (Magasin and Gehlen, 1999).
Self-determination theory
[edit | edit source]Self-determination is crucial for the development of wisdom because it empowers individuals to make informed, autonomous decisions based on their values and experiences. When people are self-determined, they have the freedom to explore various perspectives, learn from their choices, and reflect on their actions. Self-determination theory (SDT) suggests that motivation rooted in autonomy, competence, and relatedness contributes to wise decision-making.
The work of Deci and Ryan (2002) emphasizes that when individuals feel in control of their actions and connected to others, they are more likely to make decisions that are thoughtful and well-reasoned.
Similarly, Parimala and Judu (2022) relayed that SDT consists of three main factors: feeling in control (autonomy), feeling capable (competence), and feeling connected to others (relatedness).
However, SDT's emphasis on personal fulfillment doesn't fully explain how wisdom—important for finding meaning and happiness—helps people deal with life's tough or unfulfilling moments. While SDT might cover the subjective side of wisdom, it may not capture the more complex, objective aspects of wisdom (Bauer, King, & Steger, 2018).
The Role of Emotion in Wisdom
[edit | edit source]Emotions are responses to different situations, shaped by the nature of the event. For example, good news brings joy, while a threat triggers fear. In the context of wisdom, emotion can be seen as intertwined with cognitive processes, leading to a more balanced and reflective approach to life. Wisdom often involves the ability to regulate emotions effectively. This means recognizing and understanding one’s emotional responses and managing them in a way that is conducive to long-term well-being and decision-making.
Self-Regulation
[edit | edit source]Self regulation, also known as emotional regulation, involves managing one’s emotions in a healthy and constructive manner. It includes the ability to control impulsive feelings and behaviours, maintain a calm and composed demeanour in stressful situations, and think before acting.
Emotional regulation plays a crucial role in wise decision-making. The ability to manage and modulate emotions can prevent impulsive decisions and promote thoughtful, deliberate choices.
The work of Glück & Weststrate (2022) highlighted that empathic concerns—the ability and willingness to accurately recognize others' emotions and feel sympathy for them—are fundamental aspects of wisdom.
Empathy and Compassion in Wise-decision making
[edit | edit source]Empathy and compassion play crucial roles in wise decision-making. Empathy involves understanding and sharing the feelings of others, while compassion drives us to act on that understanding with kindness.
Empathic individuals are better able to understand and consider multiple perspectives, leading to more balanced and wise decisions.
However, in various different circumstance, empathy can distort our judgment, introduce bias, and reduce our effectiveness in making wise decisions (Hougaard et al., 2021).
Being able to understand and share the feelings of others enables wise individuals to make decisions that consider the welfare of others, leading to more ethical and socially responsible behaviour.
Cognitive ageing and Wisdom
[edit | edit source]Cognitive aging and wisdom illustrate how our mental abilities change as we get older. Cognitive aging involves the gradual shifts in functions like memory, attention, and problem-solving. While some cognitive skills may decline, wisdom often grows with age, reflecting deeper understanding and better judgment gained through life experiences. Research has found that older adults often exhibit higher levels of emotional regulation and wisdom. They tend to prioritize positive emotions and relationships, leading to more balanced and wise decision-making (Glück, 2024).
Socioemotional selectivity theory (SST), proposed by Laura Carstensen, suggests that as people age, they become more selective about their social interactions and focus on emotionally meaningful goals. This shift is thought to contribute to increased emotional wisdom and well-being (Carstensen, 2021).
Key points
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Figures
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Table 1. Descriptive Caption Which Explains The Table and its Relevant to the Text - Johari Window Model
| Known to self | Not known to self | |
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| Known to others | Open area | Blind spot |
| Not known to others | Hidden area | Unknown |
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Conclusion
[edit | edit source]- By understanding these dynamics, individuals can make informed and wise decisions that
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See also
[edit | edit source]Provide internal (wiki) links to the most relevant Wikiversity pages (esp. related motivation and emotion book chapters) and Wikipedia articles. Use these formats:
- Light triad (Book chapter, 2021)
- Collaborative authoring using wiki (Wikiversity)
- Self determination theory (Wikipedia)
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References
[edit | edit source]List cited references in APA style (7th ed.) or wiki style.
APA style example:
Arvanitis, A. (2024). Expressing and developing wisdom: A self-determination theory approach. Motivation Science, 10(2), 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000325
Bauer, J. J., King, L. A., & Steger, M. F. (2018). Meaning making, self‐determination theory, and the question of wisdom in personality. Journal of Personality, 87(1), 82–101. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12381
Carstensen, L. L. (2021). Socioemotional Selectivity Theory: The Role of Perceived Endings in Human Motivation. The Gerontologist, 61(8), 1188–1196. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnab116
Glück, J. (2024). Wisdom and aging. Current Opinion in Psychology, 55, 101742–101742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101742
Glück, J., & Weststrate, N. M. (2022). The Wisdom Researchers and the Elephant: An Integrative Model of Wise Behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 26(4), 342–374. https://doi.org/10.1177/10888683221094650
Hougaard, R., Carter, J., & Afton, M. (2021). Connect with empathy, but lead with compassion. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/12/connect-with-empathy-but-lead-with-compassion
Magasin, M., & Gehlen, F. L. (1999). Case study: Unwise decisions and unanticipated consequences. Sloan Management Review, 41(1), 47-60. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/case-study-unwise-decisions-unanticipated/docview/224966670/se-2
Mane Kara-Yakoubian, Rotella, A., Dorfman, A., & Grossmann, I. (2022). Wisdom. Springer EBooks, 1756–1763. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90913-0_169
Mitchell, L. K., Knight, B. G., & Pachana, N. A. (2017). Wisdom across the ages and its modern day relevance. International Psychogeriatrics, 29(8), 1231–1234. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1041610217000783
Rosenberg, B. D., & Siegel, J. T. (2018). A 50-year review of psychological reactance theory: Do not read this article. ''Motivation Science'', ''4''(4), 281–300. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000091
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic motivation, Social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78.
Schneider, T. R., Nusbaum, H. C., Kim, Y., Borders, M. R., & Ryan, T. J. (2021). Emotional intelligence predicts wise reasoning. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 18(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2021.1991448
Sternberg, R. J. (2014). Robert J. Sternberg. Retrieved August 15, 2024, from Robert J. Sternberg website: https://www.robertjsternberg.com/wisdom
Zhang, K., Shi, J., Wang, F., & Ferrari, M. (2022). Wisdom: Meaning, structure, types, arguments, and future concerns. Current Psychology, 42(18), 15030–15051. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-02816-6
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External links
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