Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study investigated the relationship between beliefs in free will, work motivation, and optimism in a sample of 54 employed adults. A 45-item questionnaire, which included the Free Will subscale of the FAD-Plus, the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (WEIMS), and the Optimism and Pessimism Scale (OPS-C), was used to determine whether belief in free will is linked to higher levels of motivation and a more optimistic outlook. The results indicated a moderate, positive correlation between free will beliefs and work motivation (r = 0.2815, p < 0.05), indicating that individuals who perceive themselves as autonomous and in control of their actions tend to be more motivated in their work. However, the relationship between free will beliefs and optimism were weak and non-significant (r = 0.1745, p = 0.206944), suggesting that free will may not directly impact an individual’s optimism.
Author: Zhuoru Lin
Institution: Beijing International Studies University
Language: English
Topic: Free Will and Agency
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4404727106