The works of many foreign and domestic psychologists are devoted to the study of the problem of will. Among the latter, such researchers as S. L. Rubinstein, D. N. Uznadze, and V. A. Ivannikov worked on this issue.
Human actions
To understand what the structure of a volitional act is, it is necessary to define the very concept of will. Will is a person’s ability to control his behavior, despite the external and internal difficulties that oppose his control. The fact is that all actions performed by a person can be divided into two large categories: voluntary and involuntary. The latter group includes those that occur without the participation of control on the part of consciousness: for example, instincts laid down by nature, unconditioned reflexes, or actions committed in a state of intense emotional arousal (affect). Arbitrary actions are those that a person performs based on his own decisions: they are dictated by his will and are realized with the participation of consciousness.
S. L. Rubinstein Algorithm
The structure of the volitional act, developed by the domestic scientist S. L. Rubinstein, includes several stages. The initial stage is directly the impetus for the implementation of the action, it includes the primary goal setting. The second stage is not present in every case. Its characteristic feature is the struggle of motives. A person subjectively assesses the possible losses that may be fraught with various algorithms of action. The third stage is a turning point. This is the final decision. The last stage according to S. L. Rubinstein is performance.
However, some researchers add some more intermediate steps to this scheme. The structure of the volitional act will include overcoming difficulties in the process of achieving the goal, as well as positive reinforcement, after the goal has been achieved.
Another important component of volitional regulation
However, the structure of the volitional act in psychology is not only an algorithm of actions that describes the implementation of a particular behavior option. In the presence of certain obstacles to achieving the goal, the ability to control your behavior largely depends on how developed a person is certain character traits. These include self-control, determination, willpower, perseverance and courage. Therefore, some researchers pay special attention to other components that have the structure of a volitional act. For example, the cognitive component has a great influence on human behavior in certain situations.
The experience of A. V. Zaporozhets
A very interesting study, demonstrating the strength of this effect, was carried out by A.V. Zaporozhets. The subjects were given the task of lifting heavy weights. The entire sample was divided into three groups.
The first included those subjects who should have simply completed the task, without any additional instructions or explanations.
Participants in the second group were told that by lifting heavy weights, they must set their own personal record.
And finally, the third group consisted of those who were given an unusual explanation for this assignment. They were told that by lifting weights, they thus produce electrical energy to supply the city.
Thus, another significant addition was discovered, which has the structure of a volitional act in psychology. An example showed: the meaning of this action is crucial for the implementation of an action. In other words, the researcher discovered the cognitive component of volitional regulation.
The Applied Character of Will Studies
The structure of the volitional act in psychology is an applied field of research. The results obtained by scientists can be applied in a variety of areas of life. This is the psychology of labor, sports, training, family psychology. The results obtained by scientists can be used both by professionals in counseling and those who are interested in issues of will and motivation.
An interesting conclusion was made by a domestic researcher V. A. Ivannikov. In his works, the scientist shows: the impulse to action includes not only the initial deficit motive. Volitional regulation is also carried out during the formation of additional motivation, one that might not have existed initially, when the subject only decided to take one or another action.
Experience A. I. Lipkina: volitional regulation and educational processes
In many ways, a significant discovery was made by A.I. Lipkina. It is associated with the features of the learning process. The structure of volitional act in psychology also occupied a special place in her research. Briefly, Lipkina’s experience is as follows. Those students who had poor school performance were asked to take patronage over even weaker students for some time. Moving from one role to another, these students began to get better grades, demonstrate a greater desire to learn.
Negative volitional qualities
But in addition to positive character traits, negative will qualities also belong to the field of will research. These include stubbornness, suppleness and impulsiveness. Stubbornness has very little to do with the processes of volitional regulation of behavior. It is associated with an inadequate perception of reality. Impulsivity is a behavior caused by emotions, which is always thoughtless and implemented in a hurry. Compliance is a synonym for conformity: a person with this quality easily changes his mind, succumbing to the influence of someone else's opinion.