What are volitional processes? General characteristics of volitional processes. Exercise IV. Physical exercises for the education of the will

Any mental activity of a person can be both involuntary, unintentional, and purposeful, arbitrary. Unintentional activity does not require effort or planning. Involuntary actions are impulsive, lacking clear awareness. This may be, for example, the behavior of a person in a state of passion, trance, other altered states of consciousness.

In those situations when it is necessary to be active in order to achieve some consciously set goal, volitional processes are involved. Thus, we can say that the will is the ability of a person to consciously and actively manage their activities, overcoming obstacles to achieve the goal and creating additional motivation for action when the existing motivation is not sufficient. The amount of effort that a person makes to overcome the obstacle that has arisen characterizes the degree of development of his volitional sphere.

So the difference involuntary actions, i.e. actions performed without the participation of the human volitional sphere, consists in the fact that they are the result of the emergence of unconscious or insufficiently clearly perceived motives (drives, attitudes, etc.), are impulsive in nature, lack a clear plan.

Arbitrary actions, on the contrary, imply awareness of the goal, a preliminary presentation of those operations that can ensure its achievement, their sequence.

For arbitrary processes in general, the following features are characteristic:

1) an arbitrary reaction is always felt or realized;

2) an arbitrary reaction arises in response to the emergence of a vital need and is a means of satisfying it.

3) an arbitrary reaction, as a rule, is not forced and can be replaced at a person's own choice with another with the same vital significance;

4) in a situation where an arbitrary reaction is still forced, it can be consciously regulated in the course of its implementation.

Highlighting volitional processes in a special layer of mental phenomena, while psychologists do not oppose them to cognitive and emotional processes, since the same process can be both cognitive, and to a certain extent emotional, and volitional (for example, voluntary attention).

The initial motives of a person for action are needs, therefore, the rudiments of will are already contained in them. In contrast to the need, the motive is a mental stimulus to the implementation of activities, being no longer only a stimulus, but a personal processing of the stimulus (need, need). If unequivocal motives prevail, they increase the possibility of achieving the goal. The emergence of motives that contradict the achievement of the intended goal, inhibits the activity of a person (in some situations this is a manifestation of lack of will).

Thus, the will has two oppositely directed, but interconnected functions: stimulating and inhibitory.

The incentive function is provided by the activity of a person, which generates an action due to the specifics internal states subject, which are revealed at the moment of the action itself.

The inhibitory function of the will does not always prevent obtaining a positive result of activity. Acting in unity with the incentive function, it is characterized by the containment of undesirable manifestations of activity. For example, a person simultaneously has an impulse to two types of activity, but if he takes up both things at the same time, then this will be to the detriment of both one and the other. There is a struggle of motives. The motive that a person evaluates as more significant at the moment generates an incentive function of the will, and a less significant one becomes an object of an inhibitory function. In addition, the inhibitory function also manifests itself in cases where a person's motives do not correspond to his ideas about the proper model of behavior. For example, if a person is very hungry, they may be tempted to steal a loaf of bread from a bakery. But for most people, such behavior is internally unacceptable, and it will be inhibited by an effort of will.

A person's volitional manifestations are largely determined by those to whom he is inclined to ascribe responsibility for the results of his own actions. If a person has a tendency to blame external factors for his failures - circumstances, other people, it is much more difficult for him to carry out volitional efforts than for someone who takes full responsibility for the results of his activity. Let's consider an example close to students - preparation for an exam. Friends arriving at the wrong time, a noise in the next room, rainy weather that makes you sleepy, an interesting movie on TV that you can’t miss - everyone knows such distractions. But a person with a developed volitional sphere of the psyche and who is responsible for the results of his activity will volitionally resist all factors that may have a negative impact on these results.

There are a number personal qualities, which are considered in psychology as volitional qualities:

1) determination is complete confidence in the feasibility of a decision;

2) self-control - a manifestation of the inhibitory function of the will, which consists in the suppression of such states of a person that impede the achievement of the goal;

3) courage - a manifestation of willpower to overcome obstacles dangerous to the well-being and life of a person;

4) perseverance - the ability to perform repeated volitional actions for a long time to achieve specific purpose(it should not be confused with stubbornness - inadequate perseverance without sufficient objective grounds);

5) diligence - the quality of the will, manifested in the precise, rigorous and systematic execution of the decisions made;

6) patience and endurance - also strong-willed qualities necessary for purposeful achievement of results;

7) discipline is evidence of the volitional qualities of a person, since discipline teaches a person to overcome external and internal difficulties.

Each of the volitional qualities has its own antipode - a quality that indicates the underdevelopment of the volitional sphere, such as indecision, lack of initiative, compliance, etc.

Strong will, manifested in self-control, courage, perseverance, endurance and patience, is called courage.

Volitional action - this is an internal motivating force, formed not only by typological and biological inclinations, but also determined by everyday education, self-control, self-persuasion. Therefore, psychologists believe that the will is educated.

However, it should be noted that the formation of volitional qualities of a person can be hindered by improper upbringing of a child. There are two extremes in education, which are very unfavorable for the development of the volitional sphere:

1) the child was spoiled, all his desires and whims were implicitly fulfilled, so the inhibitory function of the will was not formed in him;

2) the child, on the contrary, was suppressed by the hard will and instructions of adults, his initiative was suppressed, and therefore, having matured, he became incapable of making an independent decision.

Parents who want to see their child successful should take care of the development of his will in time. To do this, it is necessary to avoid the above extremes and, in addition, always explain to a child, even a small one, what causes the requirements, decisions, prohibitions that adults impose on him, what is their expediency.

Distinctive features of volitional action can be called awareness and independence in decision-making. It is characterized by the following features. First, it is an action that is necessary for external or internal reasons, i.e., there is always an objective reason for it. Secondly, a volitional action has an initial or manifested in its implementation deficit of motivation or inhibition. Thirdly, in the process of volitional action, this deficit is eliminated, which leads to the possibility of achieving the intended goal.

Volitional structure looks like a sequential implementation of the following steps:

1) setting a target and the emergence of a desire to achieve it;

2) awareness of the ways to achieve the goal;

3) the emergence of motives that affirm or deny these possibilities;

4) the struggle of motives, the result of which is the choice of a solution;

5) accepting one of the possibilities as a solution;

6) implementation of the adopted decision.

Volitional action can have both simple and more complex forms.

Volitional action, simple in form, is an impulse that goes directly into action to achieve the goal. AT this case the action is practically not preceded by any complex and lengthy conscious process. At the same time, the goal itself does not go beyond the immediate situation, its implementation is achieved by performing actions habitual for the subject, which are performed almost automatically as soon as a stimulus arises.

For a complex volitional action in its most pronounced specific form, it is primarily characteristic that a complex conscious process that mediates this action is wedged between the stimulus and the action. The action is preceded by the calculation of its consequences and the awareness of its motives, the adoption of a decision, the emergence of the intention to carry it out, the drawing up of a plan for its implementation.

Thus, volitional action becomes a complex process, including a whole chain of different stages and a sequence of different stages or phases, while in a simple volitional action all these moments and phases do not necessarily have to be presented in an expanded form.

A complex volitional action can be divided into 9 stages, carried out in stages:

1) the emergence of motivation;

2) preliminary setting of a goal and the emergence of a desire to achieve it;

3) awareness of a number of opportunities to achieve the goal;

4) the emergence of motives that affirm or deny these possibilities;

5) stage of discussion and struggle of motives;

6) accepting one of the possibilities as a solution;

7) making a decision;

8) implementation of the adopted decision;

9) overcoming external obstacles in the implementation of the decision and achievement of the goal. It should be noted that a complex volitional action does not in all cases cause a struggle of motives. This happens only when the goal is subjective and arises spontaneously. If it is due to external factors and its achievement is necessary for the subject, he only needs to recognize it, forming a certain image of the future result of the action. The emergence of a struggle of motives is associated with the subject having several equivalent goals at the same time (for example, a housewife wants to cook something special for dinner and watch her favorite TV series at the same time).

In the course of making a decision, the subject understands that the further course of events depends on him. The idea of ​​the consequences of one's action gives rise to a sense of responsibility specific to a conscious volitional act.

The decision-making process itself can take many forms.

1. Sometimes the decision is not differentiated in consciousness as a special stage. Volitional action proceeds without a special, consciously singled out special decision in it. This occurs in situations where the impulse that arose in the subject in this moment, do not contradict any other internal aspects mental activity(for example, insufficient activity of the psyche), and the very implementation of the goal corresponding to this impulse does not encounter any external obstacles.

In this case, it is enough for the subject to imagine the goal and realize its necessity in order for the action to follow. (For example, a person wants to have a bite to eat, he rises from a cozy sofa in front of the TV and goes to the refrigerator - no matter how trite, but this is a manifestation of volitional effort.)

2. In some cases, the decision comes, as it were, by itself, since it is a complete resolution of the conflict that caused the struggle of motives, i.e. the decision is made not because the subject considers it optimal, but because in these circumstances no other solution already impossible. (For example, in the event of a fire, a person jumps from the third floor, not because he likes such a decision, but because he has no other chance to save his life.)

3. And, finally, it sometimes happens that to the very end, and even at the very moment of making a decision, each of the opposing motives still retains its strength, not a single possibility has disappeared by itself, and the decision in favor of one motive is not taken because the effective the strength of the rest is exhausted, not because other motives have lost their attraction, but because the necessity or expediency of sacrificing opposing motives is realized. (For example, a sleepless night is behind you, you really want to sleep, but you have to go to the lecture by 8:00, otherwise there will be problems with getting credit.)

Now a few words about the decision plan. It can be schematic or more detailed and conscious - it depends both on the personal volitional qualities of a person and on the situation requiring a decision.

Some people, when executing a decision, try to foresee all possible factors influencing the result, plan each step clearly and in detail, consistently and accurately adhere to the plan. Others are limited to the most general scheme, in which only the main stages and key points of activity are indicated. If we consider the dependence of planning on the situation, then it can be noted that usually a plan of immediate actions is developed in more detail, actions delayed in time are outlined more schematically or even indefinitely.

As for the relationship between action planning and volitional qualities of a person, the patterns here are as follows. The tendency to follow a detailed plan that dominates the will deprives it of flexibility. The plan rigidly determines the will, which, in turn, rigidly determines the behavior of a person. As a result, the lack of flexibility of will leads to a lack of flexibility in behavior, and this does not make it possible to respond promptly and adequately to changing circumstances.

If the volitional sphere of the subject is not only strong, but also has sufficient flexibility, then in order to achieve the final result, he will be able to correct the initial plan of action and introduce into it all those changes that, due to newly discovered circumstances, will be necessary for the optimal achievement of the goal.

At the end of the conversation about the volitional sphere, a few words about violations of the will. There are three types of such violations.

1. Abulia- lack of motivation for activity, the inability to make decisions and execute them with full awareness of the need for this. Abulia occurs on the basis of brain pathology. For a person suffering from aboulia, the so-called field behavior is characteristic. He performs actions not purposefully, but only accidentally falling into the stimulus field. For example, aimlessly moving around the room, a person “stumbles” with his eyes on some object and takes it - not because he needs this object for some reason, but simply because it came to hand.

2. Apraxia- a complex violation of the purposefulness of actions. It is caused by tissue damage in the frontal lobes of the brain. Apraxia manifests itself in violation of the voluntary regulation of movements and actions that do not obey a given program and make it impossible to carry out an act of will.

3. Hyperbulia- this, on the contrary, is an excessive volitional activity of a sick person. It can be observed during the manic stage of manic-depressive psychosis, is somewhat less pronounced with hyperthymia, and can also sometimes occur with some somatic diseases.

Violations of the will caused by severe mental disorders, which are relatively rare, should not be confused with ordinary weak will, the result of the conditions of upbringing described above. In the latter case, correction of weak will is possible, education of will against the background of a change in the social situation of personality development and with a person’s ability to self-reflection, critical thinking.

Summing up what has been said, it should be noted that the will plays essential role in overcoming life's difficulties, resolving large and small problems, in achieving life success. One of the main differences between humans and representatives of the animal world is, in addition to abstract thinking and intellect, the presence of a strong-willed sphere, without which any abilities would remain useless and non-actualized.

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A person not only thinks, feels, but also acts accordingly. A person realizes conscious and purposeful regulation of activity with the help of will. Will is called conscious ability and the desire of a person to perform deliberate actions aimed at achieving a consciously set goal, and consciously regulate their activities by controlling their behavior. Will is the desire to choose the type of activity, to the internal efforts necessary for its implementation. Even the simplest labor activity requires willpower. It is a link between consciousness, on the one hand, and action, on the other. Will is a person's ability to overcome obstacles and achieve a goal, it is a conscious self-regulation of one's behavior, this is the most complex psychological process that causes a person's activity. Will is, first of all, power over oneself, over one's feelings and actions. It is necessary both when performing certain actions, and for refraining from undesirable actions. Will must accompany all types of human activity in order for them to be effective. Where human effort, mental tension and physical strength, the will necessarily comes into play. Willpower is there special condition mental stress, in which the physical, intellectual and moral forces of a person are mobilized. Each volitional effort begins with the realization of the goal and the manifestation of the desire to achieve it. The will of a person is manifested in actions, for the implementation of which a person consciously regulates their strength, speed and other dynamic parameters. The level of development of the will determines how well a person is adapted to the activity that he performs. The volitional act is characterized by the experience of "necessary", "I must", awareness of the value characteristics of the purpose of the activity. Will governs man. Depending on the degree of volitional effort a person expends in achieving a goal, one speaks of the strength and stamina of the will. Volitional action is always performed on the basis of a specific goal and motive. It includes three main points: 1) goal selection; 2) drawing up a plan, that is, defining tasks, means and organizing the achievement of a goal; 3) performing the action itself. The motivation for volitional action can be as own needs individual and the needs of society. The transition to volitional regulation of actions is necessary when insurmountable obstacles arise on the way to achieving the goal. The main volitional qualities include the following: purposefulness, independence, determination, perseverance, endurance, impulsiveness, weak will, stubbornness and others. Purposefulness is understood as the ability to subordinate one's behavior to a sustainable life goal. Setting affordable goals that require significant effort tempers the will. People differ from each other in the degree of volitional activity: Autonomy of volitional activity is called independence. This volitional quality is manifested in the ability to build one's behavior on one's own impulse, in accordance with one's own views and beliefs. Leading a team of independent people is not easy. But it is even more difficult if there is a group of workers in the team with such negative qualities of will as suggestibility and negativism. They cannot subordinate their actions to the arguments of reason and act, blindly accepting or blindly rejecting other people's influences, advice, explanations. Both suggestibility and negativism are expressions of weak will. Life constantly poses a lot of tasks for a person that require their solution. Choosing and making a decision is one of the links in the volitional process, and decisiveness is important quality willful person. An indecisive person constantly hesitates, because his decision is not analyzed enough, he is not completely sure of the correctness of the decision made. For volitional action, the implementation of the decision is very important. People are not equally stubborn in overcoming difficulties, not everyone brings the decision to the end. The ability to bring the decision to the end, to achieve the goal, to overcome various external and internal difficulties on the way to the goal, is called perseverance in psychology. In contrast to perseverance, a person can show a negative quality - stubbornness. Stubbornness manifests lack of will, the inability to force oneself to be guided by reasonable arguments, facts, and advice. Important volitional qualities are endurance and self-control. By mastering himself, a person refrains from actions and manifestations of feelings that are recognized as undesirable, unnecessary or harmful in given conditions or at a given time. The opposite of endurance and self-control is impulsiveness. The normal system of human behavior is based on the balance of excitatory and inhibitory processes ( nervous processes excitation and inhibition). Philosophy, psychology, pedagogy and social practice confirm that the will of a person can be educated. The basis of the education of the will of a person is the education of his volitional qualities, which are acquired primarily by self-education. It requires not only knowledge, but also training. A person himself must want to become strong-willed, and for this he must constantly train himself, his will. Methods of self-education of the will can be very diverse, but they all include the observance of the following levels: you need to start with acquiring the habit of overcoming relatively minor difficulties and obstacles; any self-justification (self-deception) is extremely dangerous; difficulties must be overcome in order to achieve great goals; the decision made must be carried out to the end; a separate goal must be divided into stages, the achievement of which creates conditions that bring closer to the goal; observance of the regime of the day and life is an important condition for the formation of the will; systematic exercise is a training not only of muscles, but also of will; the success of the activity depends not only on volitional qualities, but also on the relevant skills; self-hypnosis is important for educating the will. The constant education of the will is an important condition for the fulfillment of any professional activity, as well as the improvement of the individual to achieve the goal.

The necessity of nature is primary, and the will and consciousness of man is secondary, that is, our actions are determined (defined) by events and phenomena occurring in the outside world. Free will is understood as an opportunity, the ability to make a decision with knowledge of the case and meaningfully manage one's actions, foreseeing their consequences.

These provisions are scientific rationale in the works of I. M. Sechenov and I. P. Pavlov on the reflective (reflex) function of the brain, on the mediated perception and comprehension of objects of reality.

Will is a mental process that consists in a conscious, purposeful, motivated, active mental activity, which is associated with overcoming external and internal obstacles and is aimed at satisfying human needs.

A volitional act consists of stages of successive, planned actions.

Of paramount importance in the formation of an act of will is motivational sphere person. It is a set of desires, motives, acquiring the character of motives for actions, deeds and forms of activity. Features of this sphere determine the orientation of the individual.

The beginning of the formation of the will is attraction. Inclinations arise on the basis of instincts - food, defensive, sexual, etc. When the attraction is sufficiently formed in the mind, the ways and means of satisfying it are clarified, then it is called "desire". These psychic impulses belong to older phylogenetic formations. During historical development the will of the human personality has developed as a quality of the psyche, consciously aimed at overcoming obstacles.

Immediate stimuli to activity lead to actions on an involuntary impulse (an instantaneous reaction to the received impact) or in the form of delayed-type reactions (a deliberate action that arises on the basis of an accurate representation of the result of the action).

All actions are divided into arbitrary and involuntary. Involuntary actions are committed as a result of the emergence of unconscious or insufficiently clearly realized impulses. Arbitrary actions involve a person's awareness of the goal and a preliminary presentation of those operations that can ensure its implementation.

Volitional actions are a kind of arbitrary actions that require overcoming obstacles that stand in the way of achieving goals.

Physiological basis of will. Will like others mental processes, is a function of the brain. Despite the considerable complexity physiological mechanisms volitional actions, science has proven that volitional actions have a conditioned reflex nature. IP Pavlov said that "... the mechanism of volitional movement is a conditional association process that obeys all the described laws of higher nervous activity."

All voluntary movements are movements acquired and memorized in the process of life and education.

No person will be able to arbitrarily perform an action that he does not know or is not able to perform. Let's say, no matter how much an illiterate person wants to write a letter, he won't do it, because he doesn't know how to write. The position is true for even the most simple arbitrary actions.

We learn these actions gradually and imperceptibly for ourselves in the course of life.

Physiological analysis shows that all volitional movements become such only when they are memorized, and the more the movement is learned, the easier it can be performed as voluntary. This emphasizes the huge role of motor skills acquired during life in volitional actions.

In the mechanism of the volitional act, the most important role is played by the motor analyzer, whose cortical cells (kinesthetic cells) have a two-way connection with the motor area of ​​the cortex and with the cortical parts of all other analyzers: visual, auditory, etc. IP Pavlov characterizes this connection as follows: “. ..kinesthetic cells of the cortex can be connected, and indeed are connected, with all cells of the cortex, representatives of all external influences, and all kinds internal processes organism. This is the physiological basis for the so-called arbitrariness of movements, i.e., their dependence on the total activity of the cortex.

The conditionality of volitional actions by the total work of the brain means that a person's actions can be caused not only by direct stimuli, but also by traces of them, i.e., as a result of the revival of nerve connections previously formed in the cortex. This means that the idea of ​​an action, the thought about it, can cause this action without visible external causes. Therefore, people sometimes think that arbitrary actions are without reason. Thus, IP Pavlov in the general mechanism of volitional action emphasized the importance of the already formed system of temporary nerve connections (associations) between the cortical ends of all analyzers, that is, that which determines the total nature of the response.

Volitional action, being purposeful, means the presence in the cortex hemispheres persistent focus of optimal excitability at the level of the second signal system. This provides a long-term retention of the goal of the action, planning the upcoming action in accordance with the given goal and conditions, the possibility of revitalizing exactly those temporary neural connections that are needed to achieve the goal, etc.

The stability of the focus of optimal excitability depends both on the action of present stimuli and on the system of past influences stored by the brain.

Cortical inhibition plays an important role in the mechanisms of volitional action. The act of will is expressed not only in the ability to do something, but also in the ability to refrain from what should not be done. Central inhibition was discovered by I. M. Sechenov and experimentally studied by I. P. Pavlov and his collaborators.

As a rule, the main volitional qualities of a person include: 1) decisiveness, independence, perseverance, self-control; 2) indecision, suggestibility, stubbornness, volitional instability.

The first stage is the emergence of motivation, the desire to achieve a specific goal. Then there is a consciousness of a number of possibilities for achieving this goal (stage 2) and immediately after this motives (stage 3) that reinforce or refute these possibilities. Then the struggle of motives begins (stage 4). Having considered all the pros and cons, weighing various motives, taking into account the specific situation, a person makes a decision (stage 5). Volitional action ends with the implementation of the decision (stage 6).

The duration of each of these stages is different and depends on the characteristics of the individual and the objective reasons for the implementation of the decision. In order for the impulse to turn into action, decisiveness is required, that is, the ability to make a final choice. However, it is difficult to overcome the stage of the struggle of motives and implement the decision. Therefore, the initiative is especially important when. implementation of the decision. Among other qualities necessary at the time of unexpected complications, one should note independence in decisions and actions, endurance, self-control and a certain self-criticism.

The development of the will, the ability to volitional activity is a long process. From early childhood, parents form in the child at first the simplest skills (tidiness, self-care, etc.) and skills that become more complex as the individual develops.

Skills are automated components of conscious activity that are developed with the frequent repetition of any actions.

The formation of skills is characterized by the elimination of unnecessary movements and tension, the unification of a number of private actions into one integral action. Skills are formed in an exercise, that is, in a purposeful, repeatedly repeated action with the aim of improving it. Against the background of already acquired skills, actions become more and more conscious. These are volitional actions. In adolescence and in the period of maturity, with the accumulation of knowledge, the emergence of new interests and needs, volitional actions become more complicated and improved.

At the very beginning of the volitional act, there is a simultaneous emergence of several motives of activity that enter into competition with each other. This leads to a "struggle of motives". Then one of the motives is chosen - a decision is made, the goal of the subsequent activity is determined. After the decision is made, relief comes, even if the content is negative for the individual.

Suggestibility is a property of the volitional sphere, in the presence of which a person easily succumbs to other people's influences, and the motives of his actions are determined by the latter.

Indecision is a consequence of a delay in an act of will at the stage of a struggle of motives or the implementation of a decision.

Stubbornness is a feature of behavior, and in stable forms, a character trait of an individual is considered as a defect in the volitional sphere of an individual, expressed in the desire to do whatever it takes in one's own way, contrary to reasonable arguments, requests, advice, instructions of other people. Stubbornness is the inability, despite reasonable justification, to abandon a previously ill-considered decision and plan of action.

Volitional instability is the inability to restrain manifestations of feelings disapproved by the person himself in the form of irritation, anger, fear, rage, despair.

All complex volitional acts first go through the path of simple acts. They have an element of automation, that is, an action memorized in the process of life experience.

The final stage of any volitional process is muscular movement. This movement can be very diverse: the execution of a complex detail on a lathe, the creation of an artistic picture, a sarcastic smile in response to an undeserved insult, and many other types. human activity and, behavior.

In any activity, a person's interest in the work performed plays an important role. When performing uninteresting, boring work that does not meet the inclinations of a person, interest in its implementation decreases, and rapid fatigue develops. Positive emotions significantly delay the period when fatigue appears. This is due to the stimulation of subcortical formations, which in turn tone the cortex.

The volitional act includes the struggle of multidirectional motivational tendencies. If direct motives, including those of a moral nature, take over in this struggle, activity is carried out in addition to its volitional regulation.

Will- one of the most complex concepts in psychology. Will is considered both as an independent mental process, and as an aspect of other major mental phenomena, and as unique ability individuals arbitrarily control their behavior.

Will is a mental function that literally permeates all aspects of human life. In the content of volitional action, three main features are usually distinguished:

1. Will provides purposefulness and orderliness of human activity. But the definition of S.R. Rubinshtein, "Volitional action is a conscious, purposeful action by which a person achieves the goal set for him, subordinating his impulses to conscious control and changing the surrounding reality in accordance with his plan."
2. Will as a person's ability to self-regulate makes him relatively free from external circumstances, truly turns him into an active subject.
3. Will is a person's conscious overcoming of difficulties on the way to the goal. Faced with obstacles, a person either refuses to act in the chosen direction, or increases efforts. to overcome the difficulties encountered.

Will Functions

Thus, volitional processes perform three main functions:

• initiator, or incentive, providing the beginning of this or that action in order to overcome the emerging obstacles;
• stabilizing associated with volitional efforts to maintain activity at the proper level in the event of external and internal interference;
• brake which is to restrain other, often strong desires that are not consistent with the main goals of the activity.

act of will

The most important place in the problem of will is occupied by the concept of "volitional act". Each volitional act has a certain content, the most important components of which are decision-making and its execution. These elements of the volitional act often cause significant mental stress, similar in nature to the state.

The following main components are distinguished in the structure of a volitional act:

• urge to commit a volitional action, caused by a particular need. Moreover, the degree of awareness of this need can be different: from a vaguely realized attraction to a clearly realized goal;
• the presence of one or more motives and the establishment of the order of their implementation:
• "struggle of motives" in the process of choosing one or another of conflicting motives;
• making a decision in the process of choosing one or another variant of behavior. At this stage, either a feeling of relief or a state of anxiety associated with uncertainty about the correctness of the decision may arise;
• implementation of the decision taken, the implementation of one or another option of action.

At each of these stages of a volitional act, a person shows will, controls and corrects his actions. At each of these moments, he compares the result obtained with the ideal image of the goal that was created in advance.

In the personality of a person, its main features are clearly manifested.

Will manifests itself in such personality traits as:

• purposefulness;
• independence;
• determination;
• persistence;
• excerpt;
• self-control;

Each of these properties is opposed by opposite character traits, in which lack of will is expressed, i.e. lack of one's own will and submission to someone else's will.

The most important volitional property of a person is purposefulness how to achieve your life goals.

Independence manifests itself in the ability to take actions and make decisions based on intrinsic motivation and their knowledge, skills and abilities. A dependent person is focused on subordination to another, on shifting responsibility to him for his actions.

Determination It is expressed in the ability to make a well-considered decision in a timely manner and without hesitation and put it into practice. The actions of a decisive person are characterized by thoughtfulness and speed, courage, confidence in their actions. The opposite of decisiveness is indecision. A person characterized by indecision constantly doubts, hesitates in making decisions and using the chosen methods of decision. An indecisive person, even having made a decision, begins to doubt again, waits for what others will do.

Endurance and self-control there is the ability to control oneself, one's actions and the external manifestation of emotions, constantly control them, even with failures and big failures. The opposite of endurance is the inability to restrain oneself, which is caused by the lack of special education and self-education.

persistence It is expressed in the ability to achieve the set goal, overcoming difficulties on the way to its achievement. A persistent person does not deviate from the decision made, and in case of failures, he acts with redoubled energy. A person deprived of perseverance, at the first failure, deviates from the decision made.

Discipline means the conscious submission of one's behavior to certain norms and requirements. Discipline manifests itself in various forms both in behavior and in thinking, and is the opposite of indiscipline.

Courage and boldness are manifested in the readiness and ability to fight, to overcome difficulties and dangers on the way to achieving the goal, in the readiness to defend one's life position. Courage is opposed to such a quality as cowardice, usually caused by fear.

The formation of the listed volitional properties of the personality is determined mainly by the purposeful education of the will, which should be inseparable from the education of feelings.

Willpower and volitional regulation

To move on to a conversation about differences in the will, you need to understand this concept itself. Will, as you know, is the ability to choose the goal of an activity and the internal efforts necessary for its implementation. This is a specific act, not reducible to consciousness and activity as such. Not every conscious action, even associated with overcoming obstacles on the way to the goal, is volitional: the main thing in the volitional act is the awareness of the value characteristics of the goal of the action, its compliance with the principles and norms of the individual. The subject of the will is characterized not by the experience of “I want”, but by the experience of “I must”, “I must”. Carrying out a volitional action, a person opposes the power of actual needs, impulsive desires.

In its structure, volitional behavior breaks down into decision-making and its implementation.. When the goal of a volitional action and the actual need do not coincide, the decision-making is often accompanied by what is called in the psychological literature a struggle of motives (the act of choice). The decision made is implemented in different psychological conditions, ranging from those in which it is enough to make a decision, and the action after that is carried out as if by itself (for example, the actions of a person who saw a drowning child), and ending with those in which the implementation volitional behavior any strong need is opposed, which gives rise to the need for special efforts to overcome it and achieve the intended goal (manifestation of willpower).

Various interpretations of the will in the history of philosophy and psychology are connected, first of all, with the opposition of determinism and indeterminism: the first considers the will as conditioned from the outside (by physical, psychological, social reasons, or divine predestination - in supranaturalistic determinism), the second - as an autonomous and self-sustaining force. In the teachings of voluntarism, will appears as the original and primary basis of the world process and, in particular, human activity.

The difference in philosophical approaches to the problem of will is reflected in the psychological theories of will, which can be divided into two groups: autogenetic theories that consider will as something specific, not reducible to any other processes (W. Wundt and others), and heterogeneous theories that define the will as something secondary, a product of some other mental factors and phenomena - a function of thinking or representation (intellectualistic theory, many representatives of the school of I.F. Herbart, E. Meiman and others), feelings (G. Ebbinghaus and others), a complex of sensations, etc.

Soviet psychology at one time, relying on dialectical and historical materialism, considered the will in the aspect of its socio-historical conditioning. The main direction was the study of the phylo- and ontogeny of voluntary (originating from the will) actions and higher mental functions (voluntary perception, memorization, etc.). The arbitrary nature of the action, as shown by L.S. Vygotsky, is the result of the mediation of the relationship between man and the environment by tools and sign systems. In the process of development of the child's psyche, the initial involuntary processes of perception, memory, etc. acquire an arbitrary character, become self-regulating. At the same time, the ability to keep the goal of the action develops.

An important role in the study of the will was played by the work of the Soviet psychologist D.N. Uznadze and his schools on the theory of attitude.

The problem of educating the will has great importance and for pedagogy, in connection with which various methods are being developed that aim to train the ability to maintain the efforts necessary to achieve the goal. The will is closely connected with the character of a person and plays a significant role in the process of its formation and restructuring. According to the widespread point of view, character is the same basis of volitional processes as intelligence is the basis of thought processes, and temperament is the basis of emotional processes.

Like other types of mental activity, the will - a reflex process physiological basis and type of commission.

The evolutionary prerequisite for volitional behavior is the so-called freedom reflex in animals, an innate reaction for which a forcible restriction of movements serves as an adequate stimulus. "Not be it (freedom reflex), - wrote I.P. Pavlov, “every slightest obstacle that an animal would meet on its way would completely interrupt the course of its life.” According to the Soviet scientist V.P. Protopopov and other researchers, it is the nature of the obstacle that determines in higher animals the enumeration of actions from which an adaptive skill is formed. Thus, the will, as an activity conditioned by the need to overcome the encountered obstacle, has a certain independence in relation to the motive that initially initiated the behavior. Selective inhibition of the coping reaction. as well as the specific effect of certain medicinal substances on this reaction, we can speak of the presence of a special brain apparatus that implements the freedom reflex in Pavlovian understanding of it. The system of speech signals plays an important role in the mechanisms of human volitional effort (L.S. Vygotsky, A.N. Leontiev, A.R. Luria). A competing need often becomes an obstacle to purposeful human behavior. Then the dominance of one of the motives will be determined not only by its relative strength, but also by the emergence of activity, in relation to which the subdominant motive is an obstacle, an internal hindrance. A similar situation occurs in those cases when it is customary to talk about the volitional suppression of emotions, more precisely, the needs that caused these emotions. Being closely connected with the actions, consciousness and emotions of a person, will is an independent form of his mental life. While emotions ensure the mobilization of energy resources and the transition to those forms of response that are oriented to a wide range of supposedly significant signals (emotional dominants), the will prevents excessive generalization of emotional arousal and helps to maintain the initially chosen direction. In turn, volitional behavior can be a source of positive emotions before the final goal is achieved, by satisfying the very need to overcome obstacles. That is why the combination of a strong will with an optimal level of emotional stress is the most productive for human activity.

The problem of will, arbitrary and volitional regulation of human behavior and activity has long occupied the minds of scientists, causing heated disputes and discussions. Fine in Ancient Greece There are two points of view on understanding the will: affective and intellectualistic.

Plato understood the will as a certain ability of the soul, which determines and encourages the activity of a person.

Aristotle connected the will with the mind. He used this term to designate a certain class of actions and deeds of a person, namely those that are determined not by needs, desires, but by an understanding of need, necessity, i.e. conscious actions and actions or aspirations mediated by reflection. Aristotle spoke of voluntary movements in order to separate them from involuntary, carried out without reflection. He referred to arbitrary actions as those about which "We consulted with ourselves beforehand."

From the history of psychology, it is known that the concept of "will" was introduced as an explanatory about the origin of an action, which is based not only on the desires of a person, but also on a mental decision about its implementation.

In the future, intensive development of ideas about the will begins only in the 17th century. and continues in the XVIII-XIX centuries, in the New Age, marked by the rapid development of natural science and psychological knowledge. These ideas can be divided into three directions, which in modern psychology are presented as motivational and regulatory approaches, as well as the “free choice” approach.

motivational approach. Within the framework of this approach, ideas about the nature of freedom are reduced either to the initial moment of action motivation (desire, aspiration, affect), or to the recognition of freedom as closely related to motivation, but not identical to it, the ability to induce actions, in particular, to overcome obstacles.

The identification of the will and the desire dominating in consciousness can be traced in the views of a significant part of the researchers. So, some of them explained the will as the ability of the soul to form desires, others - as the last desire preceding the action. Thus, the will did not arise as an independent reality. but as one of the desires, the benefit of which is established by reason. In this case, the essence of the motive was emotions, and the volitional process had two moments: affect and the action caused by it (R. Descartes, T. Hobbes, W. Wundt, T. Ribot).

To regulatory approach in the study of the will belongs to the concept of free will as the ability to consciously deliberately overcome obstacles. If motivation is only a factor, the initiator of an action, then the existence of obstacles on the way to the performance of an action and their deliberate overcoming becomes a factor in an act of will. This is how L.S. overcomes obstacles. Vygotsky and S.L. Rubinstein. At the same time, they also include coercion as a function of the will. At the same time, noting the complex nature of the will, scientists point to the importance of the regulatory function.

Free choice approach. For the first time, the question of spontaneous, undetermined free choice of behavior was raised by the ancient philosopher Epicurus. In the future, this led to the allocation of the problem of free will.

The positions of the representatives of this approach were fundamentally differentiated. One part of the scientists believed that the versatility of the world is manifested in the will. In their opinion, in the Universe there is a single world will, which is completely free in its manifestations, is not limited by anything and therefore powerful. Man has a universal will, which is represented in his own character. It is given to man from birth as unchanging and generally unknowable. These scientists interpreted the will as an independent force of the soul, capable of free choice(A. Schopenhauer, W. James). Such ideas were considered voluntaristic, for they declared the will supreme principle being and affirmed the independence of the human will from the surrounding reality.

They took a different position. who considered the will not as an independent force, but as the ability of the mind to make decisions (make a choice). At the same time, choice was either the main function of the will, or only one of the moments of volitional action (B. Spinoza, I. Kant, V. Frankl, and others).

In the will as a synthetic characteristic of the personality, its systemic property, the practical side of consciousness is expressed. One cannot but agree with those who believe: if there is a will, there is a person; if there is no will, there is no person; how much will, there is so much a person.

The data available today make it possible to interpret the will as a systemic quality in which the whole personality is expressed in an aspect that reveals the mechanisms of its independent, initiative activity. According to this criterion, all human actions can be considered as a successively more complex series from involuntary (impulsive) to arbitrary and actually volitional actions. It manifests itself in arbitrary actions, according to I.M. Sechenov, the ability of a person to lead the challenge, termination, intensification or weakening of activity aimed at achieving consciously set goals. In other words, there is always an action instructions and self-instructions.

Actually, they cannot but be arbitrary at the same time, since they also always represent actions on self-instruction. However, their characterization does not end there. Volitional actions (will as a generalized designation of a person-specific top level management of all his psychophysical data) suggest the ability of the individual to subordinate the satisfaction of lower needs to higher, more significant, albeit less attractive points of view. actor. The presence of will in this sense reliably testifies to the predominance of higher, socially conditioned needs in a person and the higher (normative) feelings corresponding to them.

At the heart of volitional behavior driven by higher feelings, lie, thus, assimilated by the personality social norms. The code of human norms, which determines which course of action he will choose in a particular situation, is one of the most eloquent characteristics of a person, especially in terms of the degree to which it takes into account (or ignores) the rights, legitimate claims and aspirations of other people.

In those cases when lower needs subjugate higher ones in human activity, we speak of lack of will, although a person can overcome great difficulties in order to achieve his goal (trying, for example, to get alcohol, drugs, etc.). Consequently, the essence of a morally educated, good will lies in the subordination of lower (in some cases antisocial) needs to higher ones, expressing the needs of larger groups, sometimes humanity as a whole.

An important psychological mechanism for the conscious hierarchization of motives is volitional effort. Volitional effort is a conscious self-motivation associated with tension to prefer higher aspirations and inhibit lower ones, to overcome the corresponding external and internal difficulties. As you know, submission to lower impulses, directly more attractive, leading to easier and more pleasant actions, does not require effort.

Volitional components included in the regulation of integral acts of activity are closely intertwined with a person's emotions and the level of his orientation in the environment. This can be traced in any manifestations of activity. Thus, the more perfect, more adequate to the problem to be solved the orienting activity, the higher, other things being equal, the higher the level of organization and its direct consequence—the economy of activity. Features of the connection of volitional manifestations with the nature of a person's awareness of reality and one's own activity are fixed in such volitional properties of a person as the criticality of the will, its adherence to principles, etc.

An analysis of behavioral acts that include emotions of heightened and sometimes extreme intensity, from the point of view of the correlation of the strength of emotions in them with the level of orientation and organization, can shed light on the nature of the striking difference between affects that disorganize activity and feelings that ensure its productivity with the highest mobilization of all resources. . A typical affect is, for example, panic. This state is characterized, firstly, by the experience of horror associated with a passive-defensive reaction, which paralyzes the ability to orientate. This, as a rule, is exacerbated by the disruption of communication channels, misinformation. Hence the complete disorganization of both the system of joint actions and the actions of each individual. Affects, which are an expression of active-defensive reactions, can also lead to disorganization of activity. It is important to emphasize that the disorganization of activity is not a direct consequence of an extreme emotion. The intermediate and connecting link here is always a violation of orientation. Anger, rage, like horror, cloud the mind. However, in cases where the strongest emotional stress corresponds to a clear orientation in the environment and high organization, a person is able to literally work miracles.

In an attempt to explain the mechanisms of human behavior within the framework of the problem of will, a direction arose that in 1883, with the light hand of the German sociologist F. Tennis, received the name "voluntarism" and recognized the will as a special, supranatural force. According to voluntarism, volitional acts are not determined by anything, but they themselves determine the course of mental processes. Shaping this is essentially philosophical. direction in the study of the will is associated with the early works of A. Schopenhauer, with the works of I. Kant. Thus, in its extreme expression, voluntarism opposed the volitional principle to the objective laws of nature and society, asserted the independence of the human will from the surrounding reality.

Will- this is a conscious regulation by a person of his behavior and activities, expressed in the ability to overcome internal and external difficulties in the performance of purposeful actions and deeds.

Volitional actions- consciously controlled actions aimed at overcoming difficulties and obstacles in achieving the goals.

The key characteristic of volitional action is the struggle of motives.

characteristics of the will.

• Conscious mediation.
• Mediation by the inner intellectual plane.
• Relationship with the motive "should".
• Communication with other mental processes: attention, memory. thinking, emotions, etc.

Functions of volitional regulation.

• Improving the efficiency of relevant activities.
• Volitional reflation is necessary in order to keep in the field of consciousness the object that a person is thinking about for a long time, to maintain attention concentrated on it.
• Regulation of basic mental functions: perception, memory, thinking, etc. Data development cognitive processes from the lowest to the highest means the acquisition by a person of volitional control over them.

The intensity of volitional effort depends on the following qualities (factors):

• worldview of the individual;
• moral stability of the individual;
• degree public importance set goals;
• attitudes towards activities;
• the level of self-management and self-organization of the individual.

Ways to activate the will.

• Reassessment of the significance of the motive.
• Attraction of additional motives.
• Anticipation and experience of subsequent events/actions.
• Actualization of the motive (through the imagination of the situation).
• Through the motivational-semantic sphere.
• Strong mindset and beliefs.

Volitional actions are divided into:

• according to the degree of complexity - simple, complex;
• according to the degree of awareness - arbitrary, involuntary.

Basic volitional qualities (at the personal level):

• strength of will;
• energy;
• persistence;
• excerpt.

Will Functions

• Choice of motives and goals.
• Regulation of motives for action.
• Organization of mental processes (into a system adequate to the activity performed).

Mobilization of physical and psychological capabilities. So, will is a generalized concept behind which many different psychological phenomena are hidden.

G. Münsterberg, noting, for example, the role of attention and representation in the formation of voluntary actions, writes that weak will child is his inability to keep his attention on the goal for a long time.

“Learning to want this or that is not important. The main thing is to learn to really do what is planned, and not be distracted by all sorts of random impressions.

A number of authors believe that the volitional properties of a person are formed in the process of activity. Therefore, for the development of “willpower” (volitional qualities), the path that seems most simple and logical is most often proposed: if “willpower” manifests itself in overcoming obstacles and difficulties, then the path of its development goes through the creation of situations that require such overcoming. However, practice shows that this does not always lead to success. Speaking about the development of “willpower” and volitional qualities, one should take into account their multi-component structure. One of the components of this structure is the moral component of the will, according to I.M. Sechenov, i.e. ideals, worldview, moral attitudes. - is formed in the process of education, others (for example, typological features of the properties of the nervous system), as genetically predetermined, do not depend on educational influences, and practically do not change in adults. Hence, the development of one or another volitional quality largely depends on the ratio in the structure of this quality of these components.

Of great importance for the formation of the volitional sphere of the child's personality is not only the presentation of requirements to him, verbalized in the words "must" and "impossible", but also control over the fulfillment of these requirements. If an adult says “no”, and the child continues to perform the forbidden action, if after the words “toys must be removed”, the child runs away and failure to comply with the requirements remains without consequences for him, the necessary stereotype of volitional behavior is not developed.

With age, the complexity of the demands placed on the child should increase. In this case, he himself is convinced that adults take into account his increased capabilities, i.e. recognize it as "big". However, it is necessary to take into account the degree of difficulties. which the child must overcome, and not turn the development of his volitional sphere into a boring and tedious task, in which the development of the will becomes an end in itself, and the whole life of the child turns, as S. L. Rubinshtein wrote, "into one continuous performance of different duties and tasks."

The younger the child, the more he needs help in overcoming difficulties in order for him to see the final result of his efforts.

Constant pulling, rude shouting, excessive fixation of the child's attention on his shortcomings and dangers of the upcoming activity, teasing, etc. lead to uncertainty, and through it to anxiety, indecision, fear.

In our manual, it is necessary to say about the role of taking into account gender characteristics. So, experiments were repeatedly carried out on self-education of will by high school students, in which differences were identified in the development of certain volitional manifestations depending on gender. The girls managed much faster than the boys to achieve success in correcting their shortcomings. Compared to boys, more girls learned to command themselves, developed independence, overcame stubbornness, developed determination, perseverance and perseverance. However, they lagged behind the young men in the development of courage, adherence to principles, and courage.

Self-education of the will

Self-education of the will is part of the self-improvement of the individual and, therefore, must be carried out in accordance with its rules and, above all, with the development of a program of self-education "willpower".

Many psychologists understand a volitional act as a complex functional system (Fig. 14).

So. also G.I. Chelpanov singled out three elements in the act of will: desire, aspiration and effort.

L.S. Vygotsky singled out two separate processes in volitional action: the first corresponds to a decision, the closing of a new brain connection, the creation of a special functional apparatus; the second, executive, consists in the work of the created apparatus, in the action according to the instructions, in the implementation of the decision.

The multicomponent and multifunctionality of the volitional act is also noted by V.I. Selivanov.

Based on the consideration of the will as an arbitrary control, the latter should include self-determination, self-initiation, self-control and self-stimulation.

Self-determination (motivation)

Determination is the conditionality of human and animal behavior by some reason. The involuntary behavior of animals, like the involuntary reactions of humans, are determined, i.e. due to some reason (most often - an external signal, stimulus). With arbitrary behavior, the ultimate cause of the action, the deed, is in the person himself. It is he who decides to react or not to this or that external or internal signal. However, decision-making (self-determination) in many cases is a complex mental process called motivation.

Rice. 14. Structure of a volitional act

Motivation - it is the process of forming and justifying the intention to do something or not to do something. The formed basis of one's act, action is called a motive. In order to understand a person's act, we often ask ourselves the question: what motive was the person guided by when performing this act?

Formation of a motive(the grounds for an action, deed) goes through a number of stages: the formation of a person's need, the choice of a means and method for satisfying a need, decision making and the formation of an intention to perform an action or deed.

Self-mobilization. This is the second function of the will. Self-initiation is concerned with starting an action to achieve a goal. The launch is carried out by means of a volitional impulse, i.e. command given to oneself with the help of inner speech- words or exclamations uttered to oneself.

self control

Due to the fact that the implementation of actions occurs most often in the presence of external and internal interference that can lead to a deviation from a given program of action and failure to achieve the goal, it is required to exercise conscious self-control over the results obtained at different stages. For this control, an action program is used that is stored in short-term and operative memory, which serves as a standard for a person to compare with the resulting result. If a deviation from the given parameter (an error) is fixed in the mind of a person during such a comparison, he makes a correction to the program, i.e. performs its correction.

Self-control is carried out with the help of conscious and deliberate, i.e. voluntary attention.

Self-mobilization (manifestation of willpower)

Very often, the implementation of an action or activity, the commission of an act encounters difficulties, external or internal obstacles. Overcoming obstacles requires an intellectual and physical effort from a person, referred to as an effort of will. The use of volitional effort means that arbitrary control has changed into volitional regulation, aimed at the manifestation of the so-called willpower.

Volitional regulation is determined by the strength of the motive (therefore, the will is often replaced by motives: if I want, then I do; however, this formula is not suitable for cases when a person really wants, but does not do, and when he really does not want, but still does). Undoubtedly, however, that in any case, the strength of the motive determines the degree of manifestation of volitional effort: if I really want to achieve the goal, then I will show more intense and longer volitional effort; it is the same with the prohibition, the manifestation of the inhibitory function of the will: the more one wants, the greater the volitional effort must be exerted in order to restrain one's desire aimed at satisfying the need.

Volitional qualities are features of volitional regulation that have become personality traits and are manifested in specific specific situations due to the nature of the difficulty being overcome.

It should be borne in mind that the manifestation of volitional qualities is determined not only by a person’s motives (for example, the motive for achievement, determined by two components: striving for success and avoiding failure), his moral attitudes, but also by innate individual, personality-differentiating features of the manifestation of the properties of the nervous system: strengths - weaknesses , mobility - inertia, balance - imbalance of nervous processes. For example, fear is more pronounced in individuals with weak nervous system, the mobility of inhibition and the predominance of inhibition over excitation. Therefore, it is more difficult for them to be brave than for persons with opposite typological features.

Consequently, a person can be timid, indecisive, impatient, not because he does not want to show willpower, but because, for its manifestation, he has less genetically determined opportunities (less innate inclinations).

This does not mean that efforts should not be made to develop the volitional sphere of the personality. However, it is necessary to avoid both excessive optimism and standard, especially voluntaristic, approaches in overcoming the weakness of the human volitional sphere. You need to know that on the path to developing willpower you can encounter significant difficulties, so patience, pedagogical wisdom, sensitivity and tact will be required.

It should be noted that in the same person, different volitional qualities manifest themselves differently: some are better, others are worse. This means that the will understood in this way (as a mechanism for overcoming obstacles and difficulties, i.e. as willpower) is heterogeneous and manifests itself differently in rough situations. Consequently, there is no single will (understood as willpower) for all cases, otherwise in any situation the will would manifest itself in a given person either equally successfully or equally badly.

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EMOTIONAL-VOLITIONAL PROCESSES

EMOTIONS

Everything we face in Everyday life, gives us a certain attitude. Some objects and phenomena call us sympathy, others, on the contrary, disgust. Some arouse interest and curiosity, others - indifference.

Feelings- a special form of mental reflection, characteristic only of a person, in which the subjective attitude of a person to objects and phenomena of reality is reflected.

Emotions- this is a broader concept than feelings, which are one of the manifestations of emotional experiences. AT practical life By emotions, we usually understand the most diverse reactions of a person - from violent outbursts of passion to subtle shades of mood.

In psychology under emotions understand mental processes that take place in the form of experiences and reflect personal significance and assessment of external and internal situations for human life. Therefore, the most essential characteristic of emotions is their subjectivity.

Emotions are most directly connected with the regulation of human activity, with his needs. Therefore, there is one more definition (according to A.N. Leontiev): emotions - it is a subjective form of expressing needs, i.e. thanks to emotions, we understand what we like, what we want in the form of a feeling.

Most emotional states are reflected in the characteristics of human behavior.

You can control your actions, deeds, but you cannot control your feelings, because. they arise spontaneously.

The main difference between emotions and feelings is that emotions, as a rule, have the character of an orienting reaction, i.e., they carry primary information about a lack or excess of something, so they are often vague and insufficiently conscious (for example, a vague feeling of something or). Feelings, on the contrary, in most cases are objective and concrete. Another difference between emotions and feelings is that emotions are more related to biological processes, and feelings are more related to the social sphere. Another significant difference between emotions and feelings that you need to pay attention to is that emotions are more connected with the area of ​​the unconscious, and feelings are maximally represented in our consciousness. In addition, human feelings always have a certain outward manifestation, and emotions most often do not have. Feelings are even longer than emotions, mental states that have a clearly expressed objective character. They reflect a stable attitude towards any specific objects (real or imaginary). A person cannot experience feelings at all unless they are related to someone or something.

Emotions are very complex mental phenomena. The most important emotions are: types of emotional experiences: affects, emotions proper, persistent feelings, moods, emotional stress.

Another manifestation emotional processes is excitement and relaxation. An excited emotional state is usually active in nature, associated with activity or preparation for it.

It should be noted that attempts have been repeatedly made to identify the main, “fundamental” emotions (emotional experiences). In particular, it is customary to highlight the following emotions: joy, surprise, suffering, anger, disgust, contempt, fear, shame.

WILL (VOLITIONAL PROCESSES)

Any human activity is always accompanied by specific actions, which can be divided into two large groups: voluntary and involuntary. The main difference between voluntary actions is that they are carried out under the control of consciousness and require certain efforts on the part of a person aimed at achieving a consciously set goal. These efforts are often called volitional regulation, or will.

Will is a conscious regulation by a person of his behavior and activities, expressed in the ability to overcome internal and external difficulties in the performance of purposeful actions and deeds.

Main Features volitional (voluntary) actions are:

- goal setting(as opposed to involuntary, impulsive actions);

- overcoming internal (struggle of motives) and external difficulties.

In mental activity, the will performs two interrelated functions : activating and t braking. Will - it is the ability to control one's activity and actively direct it towards achieving one's goals. She represents special form not only the ability to achieve something, but also the ability to give up something when needed.

With the help of will, a person consciously organizes activities and controls his behavior.

A peculiar unit, on the example of which one can study the will of a person and his volitional behavior, is a separately taken act of will or volitional action.

Volitional action includes several stages.

Not every striving for a goal is sufficiently conscious. Depending on the degree of awareness of needs, they are divided into drives and desires. If the desire is conscious, then the attraction is always vague, unclear: a person realizes that he wants something, something is missing, or he needs something, but he does not understand what exactly.

Because of its indeterminacy, attraction cannot develop into purposeful activity. Therefore, attraction is often viewed as a transitional state. The need presented in it, as a rule, either fades away, or is realized and turns into a specific desire.

Before a desire turns into a direct motive, and then into a goal, it is evaluated by a person, that is, it is “filtered” through a person’s value system and receives a certain emotional coloring. Having a motivating force, desire sharpens the awareness of the goal of future action and the construction of its plan. In turn, in the formation of the goal, its content, nature and significance play a special role. The greater the goal, the more powerful aspiration can be evoked by it.

The mental state, which is characterized by a clash of several desires or several different motives for activity, is commonly called the struggle of motives.

The final moment of the struggle of motives is the decision, which consists in choosing a goal and a method of action. When making a decision, a person shows determination; at the same time, he, as a rule, feels responsible for the further course of events.

Will is a vitally formed characteristic of the human psyche. Will has a conditioned reflex nature and is the result of the total activity of the entire cerebral cortex .