Exploring Issa Dee's Cognitive Attributions: Impact on Her Emotions and Motivations

Issa Dee navigates the complexities of life, love, and career in Los Angeles. Throughout the show, Issa's character undergoes significant development, and her cognitive attributions play a crucial role in shaping her emotions and motivations. In this blog post, we will delve into attribution theory and examine how Issa's internal/external, stability, and controllability attributions impact her short-term and long-term emotional experiences.

Internal/External Attributions

In various instances, Issa tends to make internal attributions for the challenges she faces. For example, in Season 1, after her breakup with Lawrence, she internalizes the failure of the relationship, questioning her own worth and choices (being unfaithful that one time). This internal attribution leads to emotions of guilt, shame, and self-doubt, impacting her motivation to move forward. However, later in the series, when she overcomes the initial shock and grief, she realizes that external factors also contributed greatly to the dissolution of her relationship with Lawrence (him being unemployed and spending his days on the couch, for example). 

On the flip side, when Issa attributes her successes to internal factors, such as knowledge and skills, it influences her motivation positively. For instance, when she secures a successful event at the "We Got Y'all" fundraiser in Season 2, she gets the credit she deserves as she had worked tirelessly and put great effort that makes her attribute her success to her abilities. Also, when attributing her failures to external factors, like when she gets sabotaged by one of the designers at her event, her motivation and self-esteem don't get negatively affected. However, when her ideas get stolen by her colleagues, she doesn't help the situation by blaming herself for not being vocal enough to express them when she had the chance.   

Stability Attributions

Issa's stability attributions are evident in her reactions to setbacks. In Season 3, when her job at "We Got Y'all" becomes increasingly challenging, she views it as a stable situation (as there's nothing she can do to change the company's negatively shifting dynamics). This perception contributes to a sense of hopelessness and negatively impacts her motivation to seek alternative solutions (until she gets an external push in the face of Nathan and his encouraging). Contrastingly, when facing a temporary setback, such as the disagreement with Molly in Season 4, Issa views it as unstable and is eventually motivated (after fighting her pride and reflecting on what the real problem between them was) to repair the relationship.

Controllability Attributions

The controllability attributions made by Issa also play a pivotal role in shaping her emotions and motivations. When she attributes challenges to factors beyond her control, such as the gentrification of her neighborhood, she may feel powerless and demotivated. However, in situations where she recognizes her agency, like when she decides to pursue a career in event management after quitting her position at "We Got Y'all", her motivation is fueled by the belief that she can actively shape her destiny.

Issa Dee's character in "Insecure" provides a rich tapestry for exploring attribution theory and its impact on emotions and motivations. By analyzing her internal/external, stability, and controllability attributions, we gain insights into the intricacies of her character development. The series serves as a compelling narrative that reflects the real-life challenges many females face, making it a valuable case study for understanding the complex interplay between cognitive attributions and emotional well-being.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
Who is Issa Dee and why is her character so amazing? "Insecure" is a comedy-drama series that explores the personal and professional life experiences of Issa Dee, a young African American woman living in Los Angeles. Issa navigates the challenges of her career, friendships, and romantic relationships while dealing with issues related to race, identity, and self-discovery.  The character of Issa Dee is central to the show and serves as the main protagonist, with the series delving into her various trials and tribulations as she strives to find her place in the world. Issa Dee's journey in "Insecure" is marked by a series of personal and professional struggles that resonate deeply with viewers. These struggles aren't just relatable; they serve as a mirror to the complexities many face in their own lives. Before we delve into the character herself, let's take a moment to appreciate the creative genius behind Issa Dee. The character was brought to life by Is...
Read more
Image
Issa Dee and the Power of Self-Efficacy: A Journey Through Value Expectancy Theory Issa's journey from uncertainty and self-doubt to self-discovery and empowerment is a testament to the power of motivation and belief in oneself. To understand the intricacies of Issa's motivation, we turn to Value Expectancy Theory, a psychological framework that sheds light on how her self-efficacy played a pivotal role in her journey. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of self-efficacy, its evolution in Issa's life, the sources of her self-efficacy, and how it influenced her pursuit of goals over time. Additionally, we will touch upon growth and fixed mindsets, helplessness, and cognitive hope (agency and pathways) to provide a comprehensive view of Issa's motivational journey. Defining Self-Efficacy Self-efficacy, a term coined by renowned psychologist Albert Bandura, refers to an individual's belief in their ability to organize and perform specific skills and use thes...
Read more
Image
Exploring Issa Dee's Motivation: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective Throughout the series, Issa undergoes a transformation that is deeply rooted in her motivations. Her journey, both personally and professionally, is a rich narrative of self-discovery and growth. To better understand the nuances of Issa's motivations, we can turn to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), a psychological framework that helps explain why people do what they do. In this blog post, we'll explore Issa Dee's motivations through the lens of SDT, specifically focusing on the Cognitive Evaluation Theory, and how her intrinsic motivation was influenced by perceptions of competence, autonomy, and relatedness within her environment. Self-Determination Theory: An Overview Self-Determination Theory, developed by Deci and Ryan in the 1980s, is a framework that examines human motivation. At its core, SDT posits that people have three innate psychological needs that drive their behavior: autonomy, compet...
Read more