Goal-directed behavior

Although an elevated mood is the prototypical symptom, the predominant disturbance may be irritability, which is most evident when the individual s goal-directed behavior is thwarted. Indeed, the clinical picture can suddenly change, with the euphoric mood quickly replaced by irritability and anger. Because these patients are acutely sensitive to criticism, they often become contentious and easily angered, even by seemingly harmless remarks. Verbal abuse is frequent, with physical violence occurring less commonly. 

It is certainly hard to think of appetites as goal-directed behaviors, when they may fail to extinguish after hundreds of occurrences when they are not followed by their object. However, the incentives are probably no different than for a dog that wants to be fed. Begging is cheap compared to the value of the actual reward and seems to be worth it to the dog even if food is almost never forthcoming in a particular circumstance. Similarly, it is beyond most people s patience to convert an outdoor pet to an indoor pet The sight of someone going out arouses it even after months of failures. So it seems to be with appetites as slight hopes appear. 

Another controversial issue has been the amotivational syndrome supposedly caused by heavy, chronic marijuana use. This syndrome has been characterized by feelings of lethargy and apathy and an absence of goal-directed behavior.226,227 However, studies conducted in countries where segments of the population use marijuana heavily228-230 and laboratory-based studies in the U.S.231,232 have not found empirical support for an amotivational syndrome. 

Alogia restrictions in fluency and productivity of thought and speech Avolition restrictions in initiation of goal-directed behavior Anhedonia lack of pleasure Attentional impairment... 

These observations, while fully consistent with the general role of NAc shell DA in incentive arousal, specify an important function of DA in this area in the utilization of short-term memory about the unpredicted location of reward for efficient goal-directed behavior. 

Cheer JF, Aragona BJ, Heien MLAV, Seipel AT, Carelli RM, Wightman RM. Coordinated accumbal dopamine release and neural activity drive goal-directed behavior. Neuron. 2007 54 237-244. 

Duncan J, Emslie H, Williams P 1996 Intelligence and the frontal lobe the organisation of goal-directed behavior. Cognit Psychol 30 257—303... 

The long-term observation of the behavior of glass-cylinder-seeking rats convinced us that even a rat influenced by an acquired drive must be subject of a kind of psychic experience inseparable from emotions. This accords well with common experiences regarding the behavior of domesticated animals. We found convincing experimental evidence in support of this reasoning in a study by Phillips et al. (2003) on a peculiar form of goal-directed behavior performed by rats. 

Avolition (lack of goal-directed behavior such as daily self care and ADLs)... 

Sociotechnical system is a descriptive term given to any practical instantiation of social (e.g., people, teams) and technical (e.g., SCADA systems, displays, alarms) elements engaged in purposeful, interacting, goal-directed behavior. With an appropriate emphasis on a system of sociotechnical systems, the following key features can be noted ... 

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