conation

Conation is a term in psychology describing the aspect of mental life that underlies volition, will, and striving to act. It concerns the initiation, direction, and persistence of goal-directed behavior, in contrast to cognition (thought and knowledge) and affect (emotion). Conation encompasses desires and intentions, the drive that motivates action, as well as the self-regulatory processes that sustain effort and regulate impulses.

Historically, conation was proposed as a distinct facet of mental life by late 19th- and early 20th-century psychologists, including William James, who described mind as having cognitive, affective, and conative dimensions. In contemporary psychology, the term is most often used in education and motivation research to refer to the volitional side of behavior: setting goals, choosing actions, maintaining effort, and achieving long-term outcomes. The conative domain is frequently linked with self-regulation, motivation, perseverance, and willpower.

Some researchers treat conation as overlapping with but distinct from motivation and self-control, while others view it as a historical or theoretical construct with limited use in modern cognitive science. Critics note that modern psychology typically analyzes volitional processes within broader cognitive and motivational frameworks rather than as a separate mental faculty.

Etymology: from Latin conatus, attempt, effort. See also volition, motivation, self-regulation.

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