Empirical validation of the psychological concept of a perceived feeling of 'energy': Advancement into the study of positive psychology

Advancing the study of levels of best practice pre-service teacher education students from Spain: Associations with both positive and negative achievement-related experiences

The study of optimal best practice, coinciding with a person's 'motivational mindset', is an interesting research inquiry for development. Optimal best practice, in brief, relates to the maximization of a person's state of functioning (e.g., cognitive functioning). Moreover, the nature of optimal best practice is positive and motivational, helping individuals to flourish in different courses of action (e.g., academic performance at school). Several research undertakings, non-experimental in design, have provided clear and consistent evidence to substantiate the existing viewpoints and perspectives of optimal best practice. Our proposed investigation, which involved physical education pre-service teacher students from Spain (N = 681), explored one notable focus of inquiry-namely, the formation of optimal best practice and its predictive and explanatory account on future adaptive outcomes. As such, using Likert-scale measures and path analysis techniques, we were able to identify two associative patterns: achievement of optimal best practice is positively accounted for by academic self-concept, optimism, and current best practice and, in contrast, negatively accounted for by pessimism; and that optimal best practice could act as a determinant of academic engagement for effective learning. Such associations are significant, providing relevant information for different teaching and research purposes.

INVESTIGATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF SPORTS MOTIVATION AND HEALTH

ABSTRACT Introduction There are few studies relating the perceived value of exercise among college students and their sports motivation, but many studies in related fields have explored the relationship between cognition and motivation, which helps us to study the relationship between college students’ interpretation of the value of exercise and their motivation to exercise. Objective Investigate the relationship between perceived sports motivation on college students’ health. Methods Based on sport and health promotion theory, this paper established a model of sports health promotion, analyzing its impact on sports motivation and the health of college students. Results The higher college students’ internal and external motivation, the higher their physical health test scores. College students’ physical health needs to be improved to boost their sports motivation and overall physical quality. Conclusion The decline in physical quality of University Students is affected by several factors; one of the most important reasons is lack of physical exercise. Therefore, promoting physical exercise for university students is one of the main measures to improve their physical health. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

Applied educational practice and research development of 'goals of best practice' (GsBP): philosophical inquiries and conceptual analysis for consideration

In educational settings, the notion of 'achieving optimal best' in a subject matter (e.g., an elementary school student's achievement in her Year 6 Science project) is relevant for educators to consider. Optimal best, or optimal functioning, reflects the proactivity, positivity, and motivation of a person. How does a student achieve optimal best in Calculus? Our extensive research of optimal best has recognized the potency of the process of human optimization, which may operate to explain a person's successful experience and achievement of optimal best. Recently, researchers have considered another theoretical concept, which is termed as 'goals of best practice' (i.e., abbreviated as 'GsBP'). Goals of best practice, in brief, are personal goals that a person may construct and set for a particular context. Specifically, however, a 'personal goal' may indicate and espouse a person's plan of intent to either remain on course without any desire or aspiration (i.e., 'goal of actual best', denoted as 'GAB') or, alternatively, to strive for maximization (i.e., 'goal of optimal best', denoted as 'GOB'). This article is theoretical and conceptual, reflecting the use of the paradigm of philosophical psychology to advance the study of the concept of GsBP. Specifically, we contend that our conceptual analysis of GsBP, entailing both GAB and GOB may provide a logical basis and rationale for the proposition of educational implications for consideration and inquiries for continuing research development.

Advancing the Study of “Goals of Best Practice”: Toward Achieving Optimal Best – Educational Implications to Developments in Flow Research and Positive Optimal Psychology

The paradigm of positive psychology is significant in introducing positive psychological concepts such as “flourishing,” “optimal best,” and “a state of flow.” In terms of research development of positive psychology, the researchers of this article have made extensive theoretical, empirical, and methodological contributions by advancing the study of optimal best. One aspect of this research, notably, consists of advancement of the psychological process of optimization. Optimization, in brief, provides a theoretical account into the “optimization” of a person’s state of functioning. Non-academically, a Buddhist nun’s seeking to successfully achieve an optimal state of enlightenment or, academically, a first-year student’s seeking to achieve an A grade in Psych 101 would require some form of optimization. Recent research development has, interestingly, considered a related concept known as “goals of best practice” (GsBP), which may co-exist with the process of optimization and/or assist to account for the optimization of learning experiences. This conceptual analysis article, by utilizing the paradigm of philosophical psychology, advances the study of optimal best practice by focusing on three major aspects: (i) to consider conceptually and philosophically how and/or the extent to which GsBP could, in fact, relate to the nature of flow, flourishing, and optimal best; (ii) to consider a methodological account, which could help to measure and assess the concept GsBP; and (iii) to consider the potential practicality of GsBP in educational contexts, which may assist to facilitate and motivate the achievement of optimal best. These three aspects, we firmly believe, are of significance as they provide grounding for implementation and continuing research development into the area of best practice.