Motivation & Emotion

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PASEZ-MOT Project

This project is part of the 10-year-longitudinal PASEZ-study „Impact of Stress on Relationship Development of Couples and Children: A Longitudinal Approach on Dyadic Development Across the Lifespan“ (PIs: Bodenmann, Bradbury, Brandstätter, Martin, Nussbeck), which examines predictors of relationship functioning in couples of three age cohorts (i.e., 20-35 y., 40-55 y., 65-80 y.). Social interactions can be construed as goal-directed behavior. This theoretical perspective opens a wide avenue to the analysis of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral processes in relationships. We investigate approach/avoidance relationship goals (e.g., approaching positive interactions vs. avoiding conflicts) with respect to their antecedents and consequences on relationship functioning.

Project status: ongoing
Contact: Prof. Dr. Veronika Brandstätter and Charlotte Kukowski M.Sc.

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Hedonic Goal Pursuit Project

So far, the literature on self-control has focused on how people can pursue long-term goals when these are in conflict with their hedonic goals (e.g., not getting distracted from work by more pleasurable activities). This project takes the opposite perspective on this conflict and examines how people pursue their hedonic goals when these are in conflict with their long-term goals (e.g., not getting distracted by work when trying to relax). The basic assumption being that hedonic goal pursuit is impeded by this conflict, we examine determinants and consequences of successful hedonic goal pursuit across the lifespan.

Project status: ongoing
Contact: Dr. Katharina Bernecker

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Self-Regulation in Collective Goal-Striving Project

While cumulated everyday actions impact collective outcomes (e.g., the pandemic’s trajectory, climate change), individuals often struggle to implement normatively correct behavior, even when their personal goals (e.g., environmental protection, health protection) are in line with these desired outcomes. Taking a self-regulatory perspective, we assume that behaviors in the service of collective goals require effortful self-regulation to overcome immediate needs or well-learned habits. While extant work addresses the intention-behavior gap in collective goal striving, research has not yet examined whether and how own and others’ self-regulatory struggle are associated with a preference for collective (e.g., policy) over individual regulation of behavior.

Project status: ongoing
Contact: Charlotte Kukowski M.Sc.