One of the components of human nature is willwhich is to some extent present in every person.
Will is considered to be character trait, with the help of which a person is able to overcome life difficulties, make decisions and implement them, lead a correct and proper lifestyle.
This trait does not belong to the category. congenital, each person independently brings up and develops willpower, therefore, it manifests itself in people not equally. For example, one individual may have a stronger and strong-willed character than the other.
Characteristics of the basic concepts
This character field includes several concepts.
it volitional act, effort and activity, aimed at achieving a specific goal.
All of these concepts have one thing in common - the need to make efforts to overcome the life obstacles and achieve the desired result.
However, these concepts are different, therefore, it makes sense to consider each of them separately.
Act
it complex and multi-step process, which includes several actions, such as the desire or intention to achieve a particular effect, the motivation that encourages a person to perform the necessary actions, awareness of the need to achieve the desired result, the choice of ways to implement their intentions and control over the implementation of actions necessary to achieve their goals.
Such an act is characterized by the following by signs:
- The need to make some effort to achieve this goal.
- The presence of a plan that includes various aspects and productive activities.
- The fulfillment of the plan and the points included in its composition does not give a person any pleasure or pleasant emotions.
- Focusing efforts not only on overcoming obstacles and obstacles on the way to the goal, but also on fighting with oneself, for example, with one's own laziness and unwillingness to exert efforts.
Actions
This concept describes set of measuresapplied to obtain the desired effect.
And all of them are controlled by a person on a conscious level, that is, the individual is clearly aware of what specifically and at what time he needs to do in order to get the desired result.
Such activities can be performed by a person on their own, or on the instructions of other people.
For example, process of learning in an educational institution, it is often not a person’s own initiative, but a necessity that other people point out to him, in particular, parents.
The main feature of these measures is their awareness and focus.
Although, almost any activity can be considered connected with the willbecause there is always a moment of awareness in it, and it is always aimed at achieving certain consequences.
For example, a person experiences hunger, he realizes that in order to satisfy him need to make certain movements (for example, go to the grocery store, prepare food).
An effort
The will is considered an effort aimed at the achievement of certain consequences.
Long away not always a person can achieve the desired result immediatelyIn some cases, especially when it comes to difficult goals, he has to overcome difficulties and obstacles on the way to the desired effect.
And for this individual makes some effort. Often, in order to make any effort, a person is forced to make not one, but several attempts; in this case, it is volitional efforts that help him to stick to his plan.
Such efforts are always associated with motivation.
Human nature is such that in order to make any movements, the individual must always be aware that this is always followed by a reward, in particular, the onset of the desired consequences.
This is a motivation that allows strive for a given result.
What is volitional effort?
A similar concept is to fulfill certain intentions aimed at overcoming obstacles and barriers to the desired effect. This willpower is an ability that is formed in a person throughout his life.
On this process Many factors affect in particular, habits, social living conditions, perception of the surrounding world (positive or negative), speed of mental reactions (ability to make decisions quickly).
A person has a mind, which means that he understands that it is necessary to make efforts only when it is really necessary.
This understanding is considered to be a kind of protective mechanism that protects the individual from doing meaningless things that will lead nowhere.
So this aspect has 2 important features:
- Presence of purpose, that is, the need to act arises only in the case when a person really needs to achieve a particular result.
- Life problems. A person is able to apply volitional efforts not only of his own will, but also in order to overcome the emerging troubles of life.
Is there a place for volitional efforts in the integral interaction of a person with a group:
Types of volitional actions
Activities involving effort of will, may be simple or complex.
A simple case involves only 2 components. it goal setting and its achievement.
Such activities are aimed at obtaining elementary needs that a person needs daily (for example, quenching hunger or thirst, following hygiene rules, purchasing certain goods and other things that an individual encounters in everyday life).
Difficult matters are more diverse.include several factors.
This is, first of all, goal setting, its awareness, selection of the most appropriate opportunities and methods to achieve it, development of motivation, encouraging a person to make efforts, combating various motives and setting priorities (for example, if a person has several complex needs that cannot be simultaneously satisfied, he needs to choose the most important, priority motivation leading to the achievement of the result), making decisions and performing certain activities until the desired outcome s.
In addition, such measures may be independent, that is, when the person himself wishes to commit them, or forced.
In this case, the motivating factor for performing a particular activity is difficult life situations, obstaclesthat prevent an individual from enjoying his life.
For example, if a person is in a difficult financial situation, sooner or later he realizes that he needs to get a better paying job. This is his goal.
Also the person has and motivation - A new job will allow him to improve his financial situation and achieve a higher standard of living. He begins to make a plan to achieve the desired result.
After that, the individual realizes his plan, that is, it begins to take concrete measures (to look for vacancies, to go to interviews, to engage in self-development) until it fulfills its intended purpose.
Stages of the act of will
The act of will is considered a complex process, the implementation of which involves the sequential passage of several stages.
The extreme points of this process is considered to be goal setting and its achievement, but there are several intermediate points between these processes.
To number steps of the act in psychology include:
- The development of a specific plan necessary to obtain the result.
- Development of motivation, the choice of priority motive.
- The decision that the desired goal is really necessary for a person, and for the sake of achieving it, he is ready to make an effort. At this stage, a person experiences various emotions, they can be as pleasant, in particular, a feeling of relief due to the fact that he has finally made the necessary decision, or unpleasant, for example, anxiety due to difficulties that may arise in the way of achieving the desired goal.
- Execution - the implementation of the previously outlined plan.
The will action is an essential step to achieve the desired effectit always begins with a conscious decision, when a person understands that this effect is necessary for him and in order to obtain it, it is necessary to make some efforts and perform a series of actions.
Psychological structure
Any act of will has a certain structure, which depends on its complexity.
So, simple actions are a process by which a person makes a decision and then performs certain actions for its implementation.
Complex actions are more diverse. There are also 2 stages: preparatory and implementing.
Preparatory stage includes setting goals, determining motives (and their struggle, when a person is in thought, whether he really needs this goal) and the possibilities to achieve a result.
Implementing stage implies the existence of specific activities, for example, the development of an action plan and their implementation.
Simple and complex actions: the differences
How does a simple volitional action differ from a complex one?
Volitional act consists of certain elementssuch as goal setting, motivation to action (motivation), assessment of the available opportunities to achieve it, development of a specific action plan and their subsequent implementation.
This is example of a complex act of willaimed at obtaining a more inaccessible result.
Simple goals do not require such a large number of psychological and physical actions, therefore, the structure of the volitional act, aimed at obtaining them, is less multistage.
So man conceives a simple desire and begins to realize it. This is the difference between complex and simple volitional actions.
What is not included in the structure?
The mental structure of the act does not include unconscious actions committed by a person in a fit of passion and under the influence of strong emotions.
Similar cases an individual can commit without being aware of the consequences which they entail, and, sometimes, not even wanting their offensive.
Such measures can not be considered a manifestation of the will, because in their composition are missing all those signs characteristic of the will aspect of personality. Such behavior is usually attributed to the affective category, that is, perfect under the influence of the unconscious, emotional sphere of the personality.
Will - an essential trait of character of each individual. However, not everyone is equally well developed. For example, one person has a more firm, decisive character, he always strives to achieve goals.
The other individual, on the other hand, may be more gentle, inclined to drift.
And it is not surprising, because the formation of the will is influenced by many factors, such as, directly, personality characteristics, the conditions of education, the environment of a person, his perception of the world and himself in it.
