conation

[ koh-ney-shuhn ]

noun

, Psychology.

1. the part of mental life having to do with striving, including desire and volition.

conation

/ kəʊˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. the element in psychological processes that tends towards activity or change and appears as desire, volition, and striving

Derived Forms

• coˈnational, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of conation¹

1605–15; < Latin cōnātiōn- (stem of cōnātiō ) an effort, equivalent to cōnāt ( us ) (past participle of cōnārī to try) + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of conation¹

C19: from Latin cōnātiō an attempting, from cōnārī to try

Example Sentences

With all due respect to conation, I split for Bond — James Bond — complete with a video clip of the incumbent spy, the actor Daniel Craig, being tortured.

From New York Times

That movement is the resultant of the spiritual potency after experiences in the form of cognition have marked out the path for conation.

From Project Gutenberg

The cognition is indirect, the conation is indirect, only the effect is immediate.

From Project Gutenberg

Volition, therefore, following McDougall, may be defined as the supporting or re-enforcing of a desire or conation by the cooperation of an impulse excited within the system of the self-regarding sentiment.

From Project Gutenberg

This conation is an inheritance; it is present in the form of dissatisfaction with the present situation; it moves in the direction of a goal which is marked out by intellect.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• picture
• plan
• project
• recipe
• scheme
• setup
• story