(In)Harmonious transition from an intent to an action: emotional correlates of susceptibility to control and authorship

Abstract The harmonious transition from intention to action is a positive experience associated with a sense of authorship over one’s own actions. Its opposite is the presence of an internal control that ensures action. According to the assumptions of self-determination theory, a person’s development is aimed at achieving harmony between intention and action. This constitutes autonomy, the second key element of which is self-reflection. The results of our study conducted on a sample of 778 people do not support the content-focused concept of autonomy. Based on the literature on self-regulation, we assumed that the transition from intention to action might be related to the anxiety, pride, curiosity and compassion. The results of our study confirm these expectations and suggest that a structural approach may offer a better understanding of the transition form intention to action than a content theory, thus providing a theoretical framework for practical solutions.