Stuck in limbo: Motivational antecedents and consequences of experiencing action crises in personal goal pursuit
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Action crises describe the intrapsychic conflicts individuals experience when they feel torn between further goal pursuit and goal disengagement. The present investigation introduces autonomous and controlled motivation as independent predictors of action crisis severity, beyond known personality-level predictors (action orientation) and novel personality-level predictors (Neuroticism and Conscientiousness). METHOD: = 20.2, SD = 2.3). In two follow-up surveys, participants reported on the severity of their action crises, goal progress, and symptoms of depression. RESULTS: Results suggest that autonomous motivation shields individuals from experiencing action crises, whereas controlled motivation represents a risk factor for developing action crises beyond personality-level predictors. Furthermore, MLM revealed that autonomous motivation is a significant predictor of action crisis severity at both the within- and between-person levels of analysis. Action crises mediate both the relationship between autonomous motivation and goal progress, and the relationship between controlled motivation and symptoms of depression. CONCLUSIONS: The implications of these findings for the prevention of action crises and motivation research are discussed.
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Negative Emotionality was associated with the complementary facets of Conscientiousness and Extraversion, confirming that negative Emotionality is associated with an inner dilemma of goal pursuit versus disengagement.
“Additionally, within this function, Negative Emotionality was associated with the complementary facets of Conscientiousness and Extraversion, confirming that negative Emotionality is associated with an inner dilemma of goal pursuit versus disengagement (Holding et al., 2017).”
From What is the mindful personality? Implications for physical and psychological health (2022) · cites this paper as Holding et al., 2017
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Hope, N. H., Holding, A. C., Verner-Filion, J., Sheldon, K. M., & Koestner, R. (2019) · Motivation and Emotion · doi:10.1007/s11031-018-9733-z · Cited by 107 · see citing works
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Self-citationWhat is the mindful personality? Implications for physical and psychological health
Beaulieu, D. A., Proctor, C. J., Gaudet, D. J., Canales, D., & Best, L. A. (2022) · Acta Psychologica · doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103514 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Holding, A. C., Hope, N. H., Harvey, B., Marion Jetten, A. S., & Koestner, R.
- Affiliations
- McGill University (CA)
- McGill University
- Corresponding author
- Holding, Anne C.
- Venue
- Journal of Personality
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2017-02-15
- Volume
- 85
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 893-905
- ISSN
- 0022-3506 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-6494
- OpenAlex
- W2562387195
- Cited by
- 82
- References
- 48
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 7.17
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
- Fonds de Recherche du Québec-Société et Culture
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Grit, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Keywords
- autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, goal pursuit, goal disengagement, action orientation, neuroticism, conscientiousness, depression, goal progress, personality predictors
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Decision Making, Depression, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Goals, Humans, Male, Motivation, Personality, Students, Multilevel Analysis, Young Adult
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