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Energetics and the Self Regulation of Activation

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Energetics and Human Information Processing

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASID,volume 31))

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Abstract

Hockey (1984) has recently published a critical review of the use of arousal (activation) theory in human performance studies, demonstrating the limited applicabiliy of the theory for such studies. In this paper an attempt will be made to reformulate activation theory from present knowledge of activation mechanisms. My position is that the general activation concept should be useful for the understanding of “energetics”, even if I am unable to work out these implications in any detail. An attempt will be made to discuss economising of effort and allocation of resources, themes I believe to be essential for the energetics concept, as phenomena derived from self regulation of activation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Bergen, Norway

    Holger Ursin

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  1. Holger Ursin
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Research Council (MRC)/ESRC Social and Applied Psychology Unit, Dept of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK

    G. Robert J. Hockey

  2. Institute for Perception TNO, Kampweg 5, PO Box 23, 3769, Soesterberg, The Netherlands

    Anthony W. K. Gaillard

  3. Cognitive Psychophysiology Laboratory Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 603 East Daniel St, Champaign, Illinois, 61820, USA

    Michael G. H. Coles

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© 1986 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht

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Ursin, H. (1986). Energetics and the Self Regulation of Activation. In: Hockey, G.R.J., Gaillard, A.W.K., Coles, M.G.H. (eds) Energetics and Human Information Processing. NATO ASI Series, vol 31. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4448-0_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4448-0_4

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