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See detailMindfulness and Motivational Conflict: Discovering the Diagnostic Function of Feeling Torn
Grund, Axel UL; Senker, Kerstin; Galla, Brian

in Ostafin, Brian; Robinson, Michael; Meier, Brian (Eds.) The Handbook of Mindfulness and Self-Regulation: Cognitive Neuroscience, Social Personality, Clinical, and Applied Perspectives (in press)

When viewed from a self-regulation perspective, it is tempting to see motivational conflict as something inherently negative and dysfunctional, and hence, something that should be avoided or immediately ... [more ▼]

When viewed from a self-regulation perspective, it is tempting to see motivational conflict as something inherently negative and dysfunctional, and hence, something that should be avoided or immediately resolved. In the present contribution, we argue that experiences of motivational conflict, such as feeling that you want to do something else or that you should be doing something else, can be an important source for self-regulation, and as such can trigger processes of self-insight (e.g., What do I authentically value?). Heightened self-insight may then eventually increase an individual’s potential to proactively shape one’s life for the better, for example, by engaging in more autonomously-motivated behavior. We discuss how being mindful may contribute to this form of self-regulation. We also discuss the role of motivational conflict and its mindful processing for identity development in adolescent and emerging adulthood, when individuals are about to discover who they are and to decide who they want to be. [less ▲]

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See detailIs motivational conflict always bad? The diagnostic function of feeling torn between competing action alternatives
Grund, Axel UL; Senker, Kerstin; Galla, Brian et al

Speeches/Talks (2023)

In the present contribution, we put forth the idea that situations of motivational conflict can serve a diagnostic function and hence must not be detrimental to well-being, when separating mere conflict ... [more ▼]

In the present contribution, we put forth the idea that situations of motivational conflict can serve a diagnostic function and hence must not be detrimental to well-being, when separating mere conflict experience from the self-evaluative reactions towards these experiences. Drawing on ecologically valid data from experience-sampling, we found that between-person differences (N = 107 German university students) in daily conflict reactivity but not want and should conflict experiences per se predicted positive and negative affect after the experience-sampling period. These effects remained stable while controlling for students’ earlier trait and state affective well-being. We also found that the link between aggregated conflict experience and conflict reactivity was smaller for more mindful students. Our findings thereby highlight self-regulation processes concerned with self-insight rather than self-restraint, which may be particularly adaptive in emerging adulthood. Processing motivational conflict experiences mindfully may help to gain more clarity about one’s values, goals, and needs, information that is critical to proactively shape one’s life to the better. [less ▲]

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See detailAchievement motivation in students' everyday lives: Its relationship to momentary positive and negative activation and the moderating role of mindfulness
Grund, Axel UL; Galla, Brian; Fries, Stefan

in Learning and Individual Differences (2022), 97

In achievement motive theory, need for achievement is conceptualized as an explanatory variable that triggers certain experiences and behaviors spontaneously. Experience sampling should therefore be an ... [more ▼]

In achievement motive theory, need for achievement is conceptualized as an explanatory variable that triggers certain experiences and behaviors spontaneously. Experience sampling should therefore be an ideal approach for capturing such motive-specific affective contingencies. However, given that not all students seem to be aware of their underlying motives, the link between self-reported need for achievement and daily experiences may depend on their mindfulness level. In a sample of university students (N = 107), self-reported fear of failure predicted momentary negative activation across activity contexts in everyday life. In addition, hope of success predicted positive activation in more mindful students and in nonroutine situations (e.g., studying, working, or leisure time). Together, these findings are a first step toward illuminating the phenomenological and excitatory nature of need for achievement in students' everyday lives and illustrate the necessity of noticing motive-specific cues in order to integrate them into the explicit motivational self-concept. [less ▲]

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See detailThe Comprehensive Mindfulness Experience: A Typological Approach to the Potential Benefits of Mindfulness for Dealing with Motivational Conflicts
Grund, Axel UL; Senker, Kerstin; Dietrich, Julia et al

in Motivation Science (2021)

We wanted to address two critical limitations of research on mindfulness and motivational conflict, by (a) distinguishing between conflict experiences and conflict reactivity and (b) by applying a ... [more ▼]

We wanted to address two critical limitations of research on mindfulness and motivational conflict, by (a) distinguishing between conflict experiences and conflict reactivity and (b) by applying a typological approach, exploring natural combinations of two core qualities of (state) mindfulness: present moment awareness and a nonjudgmental stance. Using an experience-sampling (ES) design (N = 107 on the personal and 3862 at the observational level) with baseline and posttest measures of general affective wellbeing, we found that between-person differences in everyday conflict reactivity (i.e., perseverative and self-evaluative reactions toward conflict experiences) but not in conflict experiences per se (i.e., feeling that one wants to or should do something else) predicted impaired affective well-being after the ES period. Furthermore, multilevel latent profile analysis showed that momentary conflict reactivity was lowest when participants reported to be both momentarily aware and nonjudgmental, mirroring the comprehensive mindfulness experience. These effects existed while controlling for baseline and accompanying affect as well as for conflict intensity, strengthening the idea that motivational conflict itself is not a critical instance of self-regulation failure and that being mindful may contribute to remain functionally efficient and psychological well-adjusted. [less ▲]

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