Motivation is an integral part of human life and one of the most fundamental aspects of behavior change. Of interest to the present study are two motivational approaches, Negative Consequences Review (NCR) and Positive Consequences Review (PCR).

Source

Paper related to this workshop and moc-persuasion.

A Controlled Examination of Motivational Strategies: Reviewing Positive Consequences for Goal Achievement, Negative Consequences for Undesired Behavior, and a Relaxation Exercise

Yulia Gavrilova

The following content (reaction paper) was generated by an LLM.

What is the summary of the paper?

The paper investigates the effects of focusing on positive versus negative consequences in psychotherapy, addressing the gap in literature and challenging the prevailing notion that negative events have a stronger influence on human cognition and behavior. The study involved an adequate sample size and rigorous research methods to explore how reviewing positive and negative consequences affects motivation and behavior. The findings suggest that contrary to previous research, positive information may have a significant impact, which has implications for psychotherapeutic practices.

What is the research question? (How) was it answered?

The research question aimed to investigate the effects of reviewing positive and negative consequences in psychotherapy on human motivation, specifically addressing the relative impact of positive versus negative information. The study was conducted using a rigorous method with an adequate sample size, involving baseline assessments, random assignment to conditions, and follow-up questionnaires to measure motivation changes. The findings provided support contrary to the prevailing notion that negative events have a more significant influence on human cognition and behavior, suggesting that positive information may also effectively optimize motivation.

What research approach did the authors choose? Is it appropriate for achieving the chosen research objective?

The authors chose an empirical research approach involving an experimental design with random assignment to conditions, which included an intervention and control group, and the use of pre- and post-session questionnaires as well as a follow-up assessment. This approach is appropriate for achieving the research objective, as it allows for the examination of the effects of reviewing positive and negative consequences in psychotherapy on motivation and behavior, while controlling for potential confounding variables. The rigorous method, adequate sample size, and intervention integrity further support the appropriateness of the research approach for the study’s objectives.

What are the key findings of the article? What are the implications?

The key findings of the article suggest that contrary to the overwhelming research evidence that negative events have a more significant impact on human cognition and behavior, this study found support for the opposite effect. The implications are that the effects of reviewing positive and negative consequences in psychotherapy may differ from commonly held beliefs, and that positive information might have a stronger influence on motivation and behavior than previously thought. However, the study acknowledges limitations and calls for further research to examine long-term effects and to generalize findings to different populations and behaviors.

What are the limitations of the article? How might future work build on this article?

The limitations of the article include only examining short-term effects and not assessing long-term outcomes, which are important due to the differential wearing off effect of negative and positive information. Additionally, the study’s findings are based on college students and specific healthy lifestyle behaviors, which may not generalize to other populations or behaviors such as medication adherence or attending classes. Future work could address these limitations by conducting long-term studies, expanding the participant demographic, and including a wider range of target behaviors to enhance the generalizability and applicability of the research findings.

@article{gavrilova_controlled_2019,
	title = {A Controlled Examination of Motivational Strategies: Reviewing Positive Consequences for Goal Achievement, Negative Consequences for Undesired Behavior, and a Relaxation Exercise},
	url = {https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations/3724},
	doi = {10.34917/16076264},
	shorttitle = {A Controlled Examination of Motivational Strategies},
	journaltitle = {\{UNLV\} Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones},
	author = {Gavrilova, Yulia},
	date = {2019-08-01},
}