Incentive theory of motivation suggests that people are motivated by a need to obtain rewards or reinforcements. Rooted in behaviorism, this theory suggests that motivation arises from the desire to obtain rewards and avoid punishments. Incentive theory is just one of many theories psychologists have proposed to explain human motivation. Understanding this theory can give…
When you are trying to solve a problem or make a decision, you don’t always have time to examine every possible answer or possibility. Sometimes, you have to rely on the information you already have to make the best guess or estimate in a limited amount of time. This is an example of using heuristics,…
Assimilation in psychology explains how we integrate new experiences into existing frameworks, shaping how we learn, adapt, and view the world around us.
Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation differ in that extrinsic motivation comes from external rewards, while intrinsic motivation is driven by internal satisfaction. Motivation is crucial in how we behave, perform, and feel. Extrinsic motivation draws upon external factors such as rewards or punishment to drive action, while intrinsic motivation comes from within and involves the internal…
Chunking is a memory technique that involves grouping information into smaller, meaningful clusters that are easier to remember. Breaking down complex information into smaller, more manageable units can help improve memory retention. By organizing information into categories, such as numbers or concepts, we can make it more memorable and increase our ability to recall it…
The fundamental attribution error is a type of cognitive bias that leads people to overemphasize personality and underemphasize situational factors.
If you need to solve a problem, there are a number of different problem-solving strategies that can help you come up with an accurate decision. Sometimes the best choice is to use a step-by-step approach that leads to the right solution, but other problems may require a trial-and-error approach. Why Use Problem-Solving Strategies While you…
Emotions are an essential part of human life, but that doesn’t mean that feeling them is always easy. Many different types of emotions influence our decisions, relationships, and overall satisfaction with life. The emotions we feel can feel intense or sometimes even overwhelming. But being able to identify these feelings, talk about them, and manage…
The anchoring bias is a type of heuristic that causes people to use the first they learn as a reference point for making future judgments and decisions. This anchoring effect is highly prevalent across a wide range of situations–and it’s also very difficult to overcome. In this article, learn more about what causes the anchoring…
People are continuously inundated with endless amounts of information. External stimulation, internal thoughts, emotions, and other forces all compete for our attention. To deal with this, people utilize selective attention to tune out things they don’t need to focus on and concentrate on the important things. In this article, learn more about how selective attention…
Cognitive dissonance, the mental discomfort from holding conflicting beliefs, reveals how we rationalize choices and strive for inner consistency.
A cognitive bias is an unconscious systematic pattern of thinking that can result in errors in judgment. These biases stem from the brain’s limited resources and need to simplify the world to make faster decisions. Such biases are often the result of limitations or problems in memory, attention, and information processing. While such biases often…
Attention span refers to a person’s ability to attend to something for a period of time. The amount of time you are able to focus can vary from one individual to the next. You individual attention span can be affected by things like practice, personality, cognitive resources, mental health conditions, and your age. So what…
Theories about emotional intelligence focus on understanding how people identify, understand, and manage emotions. Emotional intelligence, sometimes referred to as EI, involves understanding not just one’s own emotions but also the emotions of other people. Some theories about emotional intelligence characterize it as an ability, while others describe it as a personality trait. This article…
Psychologist Howard Gardner suggested that there are eight different types of intelligence. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences redefines how we understand intelligence, emphasizing diverse cognitive abilities beyond traditional IQ. This article explores Gardner’s theory and how it compares to other theories. It also discusses the characteristics of each of the different types of intelligence. Key…
Forgetting is a memory problem that plagues us all. Little wonder then why researchers have devoted so much time and energy to understanding why we forget and the cognitive process behind memory failures. Researchers have explored a number of different theories and explanations for why people forget things. Sometimes the information is never properly stored…
For each and every thing you do during any given day, you can guarantee that memory plays a role. This is why memory problems can be so troublesome. After all, who would you be without your unique memories of events, people, and experiences? The fact is that memory plays such a pervasive and pivotal role…
Trying to learn something new? Have a big exam tomorrow? New research suggests that sleep plays a pivotal role in your brain’s ability to learn new information. So the next time you have a test, try studying first before getting a good night’s sleep instead of staying up all night cramming. Because sleep improves learning,…
We all know that regular exercise is good for your body, but there is a growing body of evidence that physical activity is also good for your brain. In recent years, a number of studies with both animal and human participants have demonstrated that exercise improves the ability to remember and learn. But does exercise…
The bias blind spot is a cognitive bias that involves not being able to recognize your own biases. You probably realize that there are subtle cognitive biases that influence your perceptions and decisions. Yet, if you are like most people, you also tend to notice those biases more in other people than in yourself. This…
