Hierarchical Active Inference: A Theory of Motivated Control

Motivated control refers to the coordination of behaviour to achieve affectively valenced outcomes or goals. The study of motivated control traditionally assumes a distinction between control and motivational processes, which map to distinct (dorsolateral versus ventromedial) brain systems. However, the respective roles and interactions between these processes remain controversial. We offer a novel perspective that casts control and motivational processes as complementary aspects − goal propagation and prioritization, respectively − of active inference and hierarchical goal processing under deep generative models. We propose that the control hierarchy propagates prior preferences or goals, but their precision is informed by the motivational context, inferred at different levels of the motivational hierarchy. The ensuing integration of control and motivational processes underwrites action and policy selection and, ultimately, motivated behaviour, by enabling deep inference to prioritize goals in a context-sensitive way

Sedentary behavior as a daily process regulated by habits and intentions

Objective: Sedentary behavior is a health risk but little is known about the motivational processes that regulate daily sedentary behavior. This study was designed to test a dual-process model of daily sedentary behavior, with an emphasis on the role of intentions and habits in regulating daily sedentary behavior. Method: College students (N=128) self-reported on their habit strength for sitting and completed a 14-day ecological momentary assessment study that combined daily diaries for reporting motivation and behavior with ambulatory monitoring of sedentary behavior using accelerometers. Results: Less than half of the variance in daily sedentary behavior was attributable to between-person differences. People with stronger sedentary habits reported more sedentary behavior on average. People whose intentions for limiting sedentary behavior were stronger, on average, exhibited less self-reported sedentary behavior (and marginally less monitored sedentary behavior). Daily deviations in those intentions were negatively associated with changes in daily sedentary behavior (i.e., stronger than usual intentions to limit sedentary behavior were associated with reduced sedentary behavior). Sedentary behavior also varied within people as a function of concurrent physical activity, the day of week, and the day in the sequence of the monitoring period. Conclusions: Sedentary behavior was regulated by both automatic and controlled motivational processes. Interventions should target both of these motivational processes to facilitate and maintain behavior change. Links between sedentary behavior and daily deviations in intentions also indicate the need for ongoing efforts to support controlled motivational processes on a daily basis

Brain rhythms of pain

Pain is an integrative phenomenon that results from dynamic interactions between sensory and contextual (i.e., cognitive, emotional, and motivational) processes. In the brain the experience of pain is associated with neuronal oscillations and synchrony at different frequencies. However, an overarching framework for the significance of oscillations for pain remains lacking. Recent concepts relate oscillations at different frequencies to the routing of information flow in the brain and the signaling of predictions and prediction errors. The application of these concepts to pain promises insights into how flexible routing of information flow coordinates diverse processes that merge into the experience of pain. Such insights might have implications for the understanding and treatment of chronic pain

Task allocation strategies and motivational processes in advanced services offshoring

Global service firms are increasingly moving advanced tasks to popular offshoring destinations such as India. Despite the significant influence of micro-level motivational mechanisms on the implementation and success of such offshoring strategies, empirical research in this area is still in its early stages. In this paper, taking a grounded theory approach, we present qualitative data from a German electronics firm working with IT developers in a Bangalore subsidiary, and the UK division of a large global professional services firm which has offshored its tax reporting work to a captive unit in Bangalore. From a cross-case analysis of these two settings, we develop a grounded model of the complex interdependencies between offshoring strategies and offshore-onshore motivational processes. We identify three interlocking and self-reinforcing circles between (a) task allocation strategies, (b) motivational processes onshore, and (c) motivational processes offshore. These circles function to either inhibit or support the offshoring strategies. We highlight several theoretical and practical contributions with regard to micro-macro level interdependencies in offshoring strategies of global firms

Motivational processes underlying gender gaps in school engagement and achievement

Boys lag behind girls in school across many western industrialised countries. On average, boys tend to be less engaged and perform worse than girls in secondary school. Yet efforts to close the gender gap may not be successful until we gain a precise understanding of the mechanisms contributing to the gender gap. This thesis presents three studies (N = 1,668) to unpack the motivational processes underlying the gender gap in school engagement and achievement, including gender differences in academic motivation (Study 1), gender differences in social motivation (Study 2), and a conflict between gender roles and school commitment (Study 3). Study 1 examines gendered patterns of academic beliefs and goals as well as the impact of these motivational patterns on student achievement. Latent profile analyses revealed four mindset-related motivational profiles: growth mindset-high mastery goals, growth mindset-high multiple goals, fixed mindset-high performance goals, and fixed mindset-low all goals. Compared to girls, boys were more often found in the two fixed mindset profiles. Membership in these profiles, in turn, predicted poorer achievement. Study 2 extends beyond a sole focus on academic motivation by investigating the joint role of academic and social motivation in explaining gender differences in school engagement. Compared to girls, boys endorsed more academic goals concerned with avoiding unfavourable judgement of ability and more social goals concerned with appearing cool in front of their peers. Furthermore, boys’ higher levels of academic self-handicapping were primarily explained by their greater concerns about peer status. Study 3 then moves beyond a binary perspective of gender to identify which boys and which girls are falling behind in school. Latent profile analyses identified seven subgroups of adolescent boys and girls, each displaying a unique pattern of gender role conformity. Young people who conformed to gendered ideals of appearance and behaviour showed the least adaptive patterns of motivation, engagement, and achievement. In contrast, those who rejected rigid constructions of gender had the most adaptive patterns of motivation, engagement, and achievement. Taken together, findings from these three studies provide concrete suggestions in terms of what factors to target as well as who to target in educational interventions to close the gender gap in school

Predicting Students’ Physical Activity and Health-Related Well-Being: A Prospective Cross-Domain Investigation of Motivation Across School Physical Education and Exercise Settings \ud

A three-wave prospective design was used to assess a model of motivation guided by self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2008) spanning the contexts of school physical education (PE) and exercise. The outcome variables examined were health-related quality of life (HRQoL), physical self-concept (PSC), and 4 days of objectively assessed estimates of activity. Secondary school students (n = 494) completed questionnaires at three separate time points and were familiarized with how to use a sealed pedometer. Results of structural equation modeling supported a model in which perceptions of autonomy support from a PE teacher positively predicted PE-related need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). Competence predicted PSC, whereas relatedness predicted HRQoL. Autonomy and competence positively predicted autonomous motivation toward PE, which in turn positively predicted autonomous motivation toward exercise (i.e., 4-day pedometer step count). Autonomous motivation toward exercise positively predicted step count, HRQoL, and PSC. Results of multisample structural equation modeling supported gender invariance. Suggestions for future work are discussed.\ud \u

The asymmetric behavioral homeostasis hypothesis: Unidirectional flexibility of fundamental motivational processes

International audienc

The role of simulations in consumer experiences and behavior: insights from the grounded cognition theory of desire

What are the mechanisms by which extrinsic and environmental cues affect consumer experiences, desires, and choices? Based on the recent grounded cognition theory of desire, we argue that consumption and reward simulations constitute a central mechanism in these phenomena. Specifically, we argue that appetitive stimuli, such as specific product cues, can activate simulations of consuming and enjoying the respective products, based on previous learning experiences. These consumption and reward simulations can lead to motivated behavior, and can be modulated by state and trait individual differences, situational factors, and product-extrinsic cues. We outline the role of simulations within the grounded theory of desire, offering a theoretical framework for understanding motivational processes in consumer behavior. Then we illustrate the theory with behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging findings on simulations in appetitive behavior and sensory marketing. Finally, we outline important issues for further research and applications for stimulating healthy, prosocial, and sustainable consumer choices

Behavioral Effects of Fluoxetine on Aggression and Associative Learning in Betta splendens

While the link between serotonin and the behaviors of aggression and learning has been elucidated, few studies have examined the impact serotonin has on learning for aggressive rewards. In particular, the SSRI fluoxetine has been demonstrated to reduce aggression as well the acquisition of instrumental responding for rewards indicating that this drugs behavioral effect may be related to motivational processes important for learning. To examine the relationship between fluoxetine and motivational process important for learning, two experiments were conducted using Betta splendens, a species well known for their robust aggressive response and drive to engage in aggressive behaviors, to examine the impact of fluoxetine on aggressive behavior and learning for aggressive rewards. Results from these two experiments provide evidence of a possible serotonergic input on dopamine circuits important for motivational processes related to learning