theory of personal investment

a motivational theory stating that the degree to which an individual will invest personal resources of time and effort in an activity, in anticipation of benefits, is a function of personal incentives (mastery orientation, competitive orientation, affiliation, status); beliefs about oneself (sense of competence, self-reliance, goal-directedness, identity); and perceived options (behavioral choices seen as available in the specific situation). [proposed in 1986 by U.S. psychologists Martin L. Maehr (1932– ) and Larry A. Braskamp]

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Psychology term of the day

October 5th 2024

holding environment

1. in the object relations theory of British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott (1896–1971), that aspect of the mother experienced by the infant as the environment that literally—and figuratively, by demonstrating highly focused attention and concern—holds him or her comfortingly during calm states. This is in contrast to the mother who is experienced as the object of the infant’s excited states.

2. in psychoanalysis, any therapeutic space that allows an emotionally fragile or insecure person to deal with affects that might potentially be overwhelming.