In organismic theories of motivation, organisms are viewed as active, volitional and capable of initiating behaviors (Deci and Ryan [1985], p4).
Here, we focus on "behavioral apathy"—lack of motivation to initiate behavior or respond to environmental stimuli.
First, after months or years of complete isolation, many prisoners "begin to lose the ability to initiate behavior of any kind to organize their own lives around activity and purpose," he writes.
First, after months or years of complete isolation, many prisoners "begin to lose the ability to initiate behavior of any kind — to organize their own lives around activity and purpose," he writes.
The inability to initiate behavior sufficient to sustain a complex neurocognitive task is a characteristic of geriatric depression which may be associated with integrity of left-prefrontal regions.
Pheromones have been characterized to generate either signaling activity, which upon detection rapidly initiates behavior such as aggression or fear [2], [3], or priming activity, which usually alters hormone levels and influences behavior over several days [4], [5].
Motivation is the driving force that initiates behavior and, importantly, maintains performance of behavior.
In lower vertebrates such as fish, sense organs directly send signals to the primary centers to initiate behavior.
The idea that OCD symptoms stem from a pathologic intensity of excitation is intuitively appealing because it is consistent with the widespread notion of compulsion as a force that initiates behavior.
About halfway in, Ms. Hmad, whose strong presence would make her a leader even if she didn't initiate behaviors, begins twisting her face in circles.
