Reversal theory
Reversal theory is an idea about how people’s motivation changes over time. It suggests that people at any given moment want something different, like a puzzle piece that reverses. Just like how a puzzle piece flips over, people's motivations can go back and forth.
Reversal theory is based on the idea that people have 8 different motivational states, which they can switch between. These different states are called meta states. They are: Pleasure-Pain, Loss-Gain, Power-Powerlessness, Play-Seriousness, Acceptance-Rejection, Resistance-Surrender, Exploration-Ascertainment and Freedom-Control.
Each meta state is associated with different feelings, which can impact our motivation and how we experience things. For example, if we’re feeling Pleasure-Pain, we might really enjoy something we’re doing and have a lot of energy for it. But if we’re feeling Loss-Gain, we might be feeling discouraged and not want to take risks.
The idea of reversal theory is that if you understand your current meta state, you can be more aware of how it is impacting your motivation and behavior. This can help you make better decisions and adjust your actions over time.
Reversal theory is based on the idea that people have 8 different motivational states, which they can switch between. These different states are called meta states. They are: Pleasure-Pain, Loss-Gain, Power-Powerlessness, Play-Seriousness, Acceptance-Rejection, Resistance-Surrender, Exploration-Ascertainment and Freedom-Control.
Each meta state is associated with different feelings, which can impact our motivation and how we experience things. For example, if we’re feeling Pleasure-Pain, we might really enjoy something we’re doing and have a lot of energy for it. But if we’re feeling Loss-Gain, we might be feeling discouraged and not want to take risks.
The idea of reversal theory is that if you understand your current meta state, you can be more aware of how it is impacting your motivation and behavior. This can help you make better decisions and adjust your actions over time.