Determination is a positive emotional feeling that involves persevering towards a difficult goal in spite of obstacles. Determination occurs prior to goal attainment and serves to motivate behavior that will help achieve one’s goal. Empirical research suggests that people consider determination to be an emotion; in other words, determination is not just a cognitive state, but rather an affective state. In the psychology literature, researchers have studied determination under other terms, including challenge and anticipatory enthusiasm; this may explain one reason for the relative lack of research on determination compared to other positive emotions.
In the field of psychology, emotion research is heavily focused on negative emotions and the
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In this case study of two epileptic seizure patients, participants reported feeling determined to overcome an approaching challenge; this emotion was reported to feel pleasant, rather than unpleasant. Following electrical stimulation, participants exhibited elevated cardiovascular activity and reported a warm feeling in their upper chest and neck. This work supports the idea that determination is a positive emotion that prepares an individual to overcome …show more content…
If an individual is provided resources and surrounded by people who believe they are capable of goal achievement, said individual is more likely to experienced increases in determination and subsequent improvement in performance and well-being. For example, research has shown that students enrolled in positive learning environments where teachers incorporate strategies meant to meet students' motivational needs are more likely to become responsible learners who display a determination to succeed. In the essay "College Pressures" by William Zinsser, the pressures faced by college students at Yale are studied. The pressures include the need to develop time management and study skills appropriate for college work, the desire for good grades, the desire to meet parents' expectations, and the need to find employment in a competitive job market after
From the beginning of high school, students strap on their seatbelts and prepare for one of the most vigorous races of their lives – becoming successful. With the rare occurrence of a break, kids are expected to keep on driving as fast and as powerfully as they can in order to get into a “great” college, which would be followed by graduate school and then an actual job that would make a lot of money. In American society, common values include working hard, determination, and being so productive that free time is not even a question. However, this philosophy is taking a major toll on American college and high school students. For at least 40 years, America’s future has been steadily growing unmotivated, tired, and hopeless due to the overemphasis on performing well in school. This phenomenon is appropriately expounded in William Zinsser’s “College Pressures”, which takes a look at the top four sources of tension that cause these feelings of dejection and agitation. After reading this article, I came up with a few solutions to this national problem. It is time to switch the harsh, over-encouraging green light of education to a comfortable yellow one. In order to make this ideal transition, directors of education across the country need to primarily reduce the amount of out-of-class assignments, lighten the grading system, and incorporate days in the school year that allow students to express their thoughts about school and provide useful feedback.
In fact, “a determined student, even encountering hardships in his/her life while attending college full time, will succeed” (Culpepper 330). Also, many professionals successfully graduated college while dealing with hardships such as “raising children alone, working in multiple jobs, and caring for sick relatives” (Culpepper 330). They showed commitment by staying focused on what they wanted to achieve in their lives. An overloaded student accomplishes his/her tasks by organizing his/her daily schedule, not allowing more than one activity developing in the same hour. Also, the student has to allow for himself/herself recreational time as a reward, for that will balance his/her overwhelmed lifestyle.
Zinsser, William. “College Pressure.” The Norton Reader. 13th ed. Ed. Linda H. Peterson. New York: Norton, 2013. 380-388. Print
While college times today are faced with more and more peer-pressure there are ways on getting through this. Everyday college students are pressured to either not go to class or leave work till the last minute for a little bit of fun. Surrounding yourself with positive people who share similar values helps a lot in overcoming this. I...
Determination is “The act or an instance of making an important decision and not giving up” (“Determination”). In The Great Gatsby, the main character Jay Gatsby is a succesful business man who will go to extremes to win the heart of the woman of his dreams, Daisy, hoping she would leave her husband for him. Gatsby threw extravagant parties with an abundance of alcohol and a variety of people. People would drive hundreds of miles to attend one of Jay Gatsby’s parties. He would never participate in any of his parties, however, so no one knew him. One may ask: Why would he spend so much money on parties he did not even participate in? The answer is that he would stand on the balcony looking over his unknown party guests hoping Daisy would show up one evening. Gatsby was very determined to get the attention of Daisy, and he believed by throwing these parties he would do so. He was so anxious to see her; he had his neighbor Nick invite her over one afternoon. He had been very nervous and wanted eve...
Students entering college for the first time become concerned with their college life. The students are on their own once they enter college. There are no parents or guardians telling them when to do homework, when to go to bed, or how to eat healthy. These students are now responsible for how they are going to succeed in school and meet their own needs. From the beginning, these students wonder what their experience is going to be like and are they going to handle the demands of college?
It may conclude that student who pay by student loan feels more pressure to getting a job after graduate to be able to pay back for the loans. This motivates them to study hard because they realize that how much the importance of academic performance to get a job.” What does this mean? Those who are having to use loans are more pressured to find a job and work to pay off their debt, seeing as how it could last a lifetime and are having to work hard to maintain financial aid. Yet, for those who go to college with their parents funding their education, there isn’t as much pressure to succeed because the family has the ability to fund
What is Determination? Determination “is a quality that makes you continue to do or achieve something that is difficult”. When you have that goal and the mindset that I can, I will, and I must be the best that I can be makes you determined. Through all the obstacles that you may encounter will make your goal difficult to reach. As soon as you set in your mind, “that I am determined” to do what I have to do makes is what makes you a tough player. After setting your determination, next in line is being strong while you go through the process of achieving your
The “push to be perfect” (Thomas) is at an all-time high. Pressure for perfection from peers, parents, teachers and coaches is so unreasonably high that many students don’t think that they will ever be able to achieve it. A student feels that it is impossible to get good grades, be athletic, in multiple organizations, and most of all appear to be happy. Students have turned to cheating, drug/ alcohol abuse, and even suicide to try and cope. They are competing with friends for top spots, and believe that if they don’t beat them, they are a failure. Not only other students, but parents play a big roll, too. Their own parents and the parents of their peers will compare kids. New Trier High School’s Jim Conroy said that the biggest problem about pressure comes from the parents who compare (Robbins). With all...
To portray the issue of college pressure exerted on students in terms of the reasons underlying this practice and the possible effects this may have on students in particular and on the whole educational system in general is a matter of determining who is the villain and who is the victim according to William Zinsser. As the latter perceptively states, that no two disagree on the weight laid on students ‘shoulders as to the amount of pressure they experience with eagerness to always perform better and perfect their accomplishments. William Zinsser has drawn attention to the fact that excellent performance is closely linked to a constant confrontation to dread of failure along with a deep desire for success. This point is also sustained by the
American Psychological Association (APA) (2012, March 12). Reducing academic pressure may help children succeed. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120312101439.htm
...ed and accepted. This is because not only does it aid those who are have mental illnesses but it is also designed for the betterment of society as a whole. Additionally, there are also medical treatments such as drugs for these kinds of mental diseases and although both have had successes both also have limitations. As drugs come with side effects, have high relapse possibilities and there are also dosage problems whereas, in positive psychology the debate over how happiness is measured in the first place is controversial. As a result, using past experiences like in ww2 psychologists have designed positive psychology so that it is helpful of all people in society and not only those in need of help. All in all, it can be said that although there are limitations to both of these fields under psychology both also have numerous success and benefit society as a whole.
Determination is defined in the dictionary as the the act of coming to a decision or fixing or settling a purpose. That being a very literal meaning it can be hard to understand. I see determination as an aggressive way to go about completing a task. The opposite of determination is being undecided. While being undecided we go about tasks meaninglessly. For example, while I was in high school I was going through the motions. I was there to hang out and enjoy the ride. I still very much enjoy those memories, but I now realized that I was undecided on what it was I wanted to do. I thought I wanted to play football, but it was very clear that I did not truly know. Now I am in college, and I am determined. I got about my time very carefully. It
Are the new standards and expectations the world has for teenagers really creating monsters? The amount of stress that is put on students these days between trying to balance school, homework, extra curricular activities, social lives, sleep and a healthy lifestyle is being considered a health epidemic (Palmer, 2005). Students are obsessing over getting the grades that are expected of them to please those that push them, and in return, lose sleep and give up other aspects of their lives that are important to them, such as time with friends and family, as well as activities that they enjoy. The stress that they endure from the pressures of parents, teachers, colleges, and peers has many physical as well as mental effects on every student, some more harmful than others. The extreme pressure on students to get perfect grades so that they will be accepted into a college has diminished the concept of actually learning and has left the art of “financing the system” in order to succeed in its place (Palmer, 2005).
The academic pressure is one of the major stress factors in my life. The academic environment is very competitive and everyone wants to be the best. Not only are am I competing with my peers, I am also competing with myself. I always want to exceed my expectations. Which can cause me to become anxious at times. The academic pressure has many sublevels to it. Making excellent grades, homework, projects, essays, online work, class scheduling, exams, and many other aspects that are involved with school.