Goal Pursuit, Motivation And The Experience Of Positive And Negative Affect In Young People: An Experience Sampling Study

Dahm, Theresa (2015) Goal Pursuit, Motivation And The Experience Of Positive And Negative Affect In Young People: An Experience Sampling Study. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

The study reported in this thesis aimed to test a psychological model of goaldirected
behaviour in a sample of young adults, using experience sampling methods.
The purpose was to assess the relationship between goal-related appraisals of success
and importance, and fluctuations in both positive and negative affect as well as levels
of ruminative thought. The influence of individual differences in transdiagnostic
factors relating to motivation and anhedonia, as well as symptoms of depression,
rumination and schizotypy were also considered.
An analogue sample of non-clinical young adults was recruited and took part
in this six-day intensive, longitudinal study. Subjective reports of momentary affect,
rumination, and goal appraisals were assessed five times daily for six days. Baseline
measures relating to symptoms of psychopathology, motivation and anhedonia were
also administered.
Using multilevel modelling, the relationship between goal appraisals and
affective and ruminative responses could be analysed within the context of the days
and individuals that they occurred. Results suggested that appraisals of success were
associated with higher levels of momentary positive affect and lower levels of
momentary negative affect and rumination. While importance was positively
associated with momentary rumination, the expected interaction between success and
importance was not found. Individual differences in depression symptoms and
schizotypy were differentially associated with reduced momentary positive affect,
whereas individual differences in trait rumination were differentially associated with
increased momentary negative affect and rumination. There was some evidence that
individual differences in depression symptoms were also associated with reduced
overall enjoyment and goal success during the experience sampling period.
GOAL PURSUIT, MOTIVATION AND THE EXPERIENCE OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE
AFFECT IN YOUNG PEOPLE: AN EXPERIENCE SAMPLING STUDY
iii
T. Dahm
These findings are relevant to our understanding of goal-directed behaviour,
and how goal appraisals influence positive affect as well as negative affect and
rumination. The results suggest that targeting appraisals of success and increasing
activities that provide experiences of mastery and pleasure may be an important
aspect of clinical interventions.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
Depositing User:	Users 2259 not found.
Date Deposited:	28 Jan 2016 12:52
Last Modified:	28 Jan 2016 12:52
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/56835
DOI:

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