MOTIVATION CONTINUATION

FRUSTRATION
Frustration is an emotion that occurs in situations where a person is blocked from
reaching a desired outcome. In general, whenever we reach one of our goals, we
feel pleased and whenever we are prevented from reaching our goals, we may
succumb to frustration and feel irritable, annoyed and angry. Typically, the more
important the goal, the greater the frustration
According to Barney and Lehner (1953), frustration refers to failure to satisfy a
basic need because of either condition in the individual or external obstacles.
Frustration occurs when an anticipated desirable goal is not attained and the motive
is blocked. Frustration results in a variety of behavioral and emotional reactions.
They include:
• aggressive behavior
• fixation
• escape
• avoidance
• crying
FRUSTRATION-AGGRESSION HYPOTHESIS
Proposed by Dollard and Miller. It states that frustration produces aggression.
Aggressive acts are often directed towards the self or blocking agent, or a
substitute.
This hypothesis was based on the psychodynamic approach. When people are
frustrated, they experience a drive to be aggressive towards the object of their
frustration, but this is often impossible or inappropriate, so the source of their
aggression is displaced on something or someone else.
It uses the concepts of catharsis (relieving emotional tension) and displacement
(unconscious defense mechanism whereby the mind diverts emotions from their
original source to a less threatening, dangerous or unacceptable one to avoid
experiencing anxiety).
CAUSES OF FRUSTRATION
The main causes of frustration include:
(a) Environmental Factors - physical objects, constraining situations or even other
people who prevent a person from reaching a particular goal.
(b) Personal Factors - They include inadequacy or lack of resources which makes
it difficult for a person to accomplish their goals.
(c) External Factors – which include:
• Physical factors – Natural calamities
• Social and societal factors – norms and values imposed on individuals
• Economic factors – Unemployment
(d) Internal Factors – which include:
• Physical abnormality or defects
• Individual’s morality and high ideals
• Level of aspirations
• Conflicting desires or aims
(e) Conflicts – occurs between different motives/goals.
CONFLICTS
According to APA, Conflicts can be defined as, “the occurrence of mutually
antagonistic or opposing forces, including events, behaviors, desires, attitudes, and
emotions”.
Douglas and Holland define conflict as, “a painful emotional state which results
from a tension between opposed and contradictory wishes”.
Barney and Lehner define conflict as, “a state of tension brought by the presence in
the individual of two or more opposing desires”.
In PSYCHOANALYTIC THEOERY, Conflict refers to “the opposition between
the incompatible instinctual impulses, or, incompatible aspects of the three
theoretical structures, namely, the id, ego and superego.
Conflict, in psychology, is defined as “the arousal of two or more strong motives
that cannot be solved together. Conflict is considered a state of opposition,
disagreement or incompatibility between two or more people or groups of people.
TYPES OF CONFLICTS
According to Dollard and Miller, frustration leads to aggression. They performed
researches that suggest the different types of conflicts we experience. The main 4
conflicts are:
(1) APPROACH – APPROACH CONFLICT
(2) AVOIDANCE – AVOIDANCE CONFLICT
(3) APPROACH – AVOIDANCE CONFLICT
(4) DOUBLE APPROACH – AVOIDANCE CONFLICT
APPROACH – APPROACH CONFLICT
• The individual must make a choice between two rewarding stimuli. This type
of conflict is between two positive goals. The person is equally attracted to
both the goals and must make a choice.
• This type of conflict is easily resolved, since one reward is likely to be more
inviting.
• Depending on the choice made, the individual might be happy, or, might
experience some regret.
• For example, a child may have to choose between watching a movie in TV or
going out to play games.
AVOIDANCE – AVOIDANCE CONFLICT
• The individual receives punishment whilst choosing of any of the two stimuli,
i.e., regardless of the stimuli/choice they choose, they receive the negative
effect.
• In this type of conflict, the person is faced with two goals with negative
values. Both the goals appear unattractive/less rewarding.
• The individual is repelled by both the goals, but must choose one of them.
• For example, a child who does not want to study and at the same time does not
want to displease the parents by failing in the examination may experience
such conflict.
APPROACH – AVOIDANCE CONFLICT
• The individual approaches the stimulus. However, as they come closer to the
said stimulus, the drive to approach, as well as, to avoid it, grows rapidly, until
they move away.
• In this type of conflict, the individual is faced with a single goal that has both
Positive and Negative effect. The individual is both, attracted to and repelled
by the good.
• This type of conflict is the most difficult one to resist. When a person is
confronted to choose between two negative options, they tend to avoid making
a decision.
• For example, an individual making a decision about taking a job that possesses
both financial gain and prestige, but also contains a great deal of stress and long
hours
DOUBLE APPROACH – AVOIDANCE CONFLICT
• The individual is faced with two goals, each having a Positive as well as a
Negative effect.
• In this type of conflict, one goal must be sacrificed for accepting the other goal,
The individual must choose one goal, lose the other one, and accept the positives
and negatives of the choice that they made.
• For example, choosing between two different cars, each with differing pros and
cons.
Additional Definitions
APPROACH - a particular method or strategy used to achieve a goal or purpose.
This term was proposed by Dollard and Miller, who highlighted the concept of
“want”.
AVOIDANCE - the practice or an instance of keeping away from particular
situations, environments, individuals, or things because of either (a) the
anticipated negative consequence of such an encounter or (b) anxious or painful
feelings associated with them.
CAUSES OF CONFLICTS
• Conflict arises from the home, school, occupational social and cultural
environment.
• The faulty upbringing at home, unhealthy relationships, over protection is
the sources of conflict from home environment.
• Unpleasant school or college environment, role of teachers, faulty method
of teaching, denial of opportunities for self-expression and classmates are
some of the sources of conflict in youngsters.
• Social conflicts emerge when the aspirations, beliefs or values held by one
individual or group, are frustrated by another individual or group.
• Improper working environment, dissatisfaction with the working
conditions, unsatisfactory relationships and poor salary or wages is the
sources of conflict in occupational environment.
• Information conflicts arise when people have different or insufficient
information, or disagree over what data is relevant.
• Values conflicts are created when people have perceived or actual
incompatible belief systems. Where a person or group tries to impose its
values on others or claims exclusive right to a set of values, disputes arise.
Regardless of the cause of conflict, an experienced mediator can help parties shift
their focus from fighting to resolution. Since they are necessarily unbiased,
neutrals create an environment where parties can trust the process and work toward
a solution.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Conflict Resolution refers to the process geared towards reaching an agreement in
a dispute. The study of conflict and conflict resolution, is broad and crosses
disciplinary boundaries. Conflict Resolution is important because it can lead to
greater efficiency and goal achievement.
According to the American Psychological Association, Conflict Resolution is
defined as, “the reduction of discord and friction between individuals or groups,
usually through the use of active strategies, such as conciliation, negotiation, and
bargaining”.
Conflicts may arise from frustrations, competing roles on goals having
positive/negative violence. Conflict resolution depends on the type of conflict.
In case of APPROACH – AVOIDANCE CONFLICT, it is very difficult to decide,
since only one goal is there, Compromise is the alternative solution here.
In case of DOUBLE APPROACH – AVOIDANCE CONFLICT, conflict may
easily be resolved by satisfying first one goal, which is important. This conflict is
resolved by giving up on one of the goals.
Some skills necessary for resolving conflicts are:
• Self-awareness - people with high self-awareness have moment-to-moment
awareness and navigate life adeptly.
• Self-control - ability to manage unruly impulses and emotions effectively.
• Assertive communication - dynamic communication style in which the
speaker maintains self-respect, expresses personal needs, and defends their
own rights without abusing or dominating others.
• Collaboration - the goal of collaboration is to consider all the important
needs of the primary parties and develop a solution that meets these needs)
• Empathy - understanding of another person’s perspective can increase the
likelihood of emotional connection and collaboration.
• Problem-solving - strategy that pursues alternative solutions that satisfy the
needs and goals of the parties involved
• Active Listening - Listening during conflict achieves key goals, primarily
putting an end to cyclical arguing and opening the door to empathy and
understanding.
There are coping strategies at individual level. Individuals facing conflicts may
help themselves by examining the CAUSE of the conflict clearly, and also by
trying to choose the best alternative.