Conation: Its Historical Roots and Implications for Future Research

This conceptual paper is a review of the literature concerning conation. Although there is no single definition for conation, it has been described in several ways including the mental procedure directed toward action including volition and drive, or as the connection between cognition and affect to action. The historical aspects, applications, and research methods for studying conation are brief but informative. Based on the literature review, the application of conation appears to hold considerable promise, especially within the realm of sociotechnical design/systems.