Basic Emotions & Appraisal Theories of Emotions with Motivation

Will Hunting has an innate interest and skills in solving math problems. When he was working as a janitor at MIT, he saw a math question on the blackboard in the hallway (an event), which intrigued him to the extent that he didn't want to spend time like he usually did with his best friend, Chuckie, at the bar. He did not enjoy the time at the bar compared to the fun of working on a math problem. Hence, he left the bar early to return home and started writing on the mirror in the bathroom, trying to figure out the solution. He looked focused, involved, and content when he solved the problem. 

However, on one occasion, Will didn't enjoy working on any math questions that much after he broke up with his girlfriend. This significant life event had led him to lose interest, motivation, and patience. He looked deflated, and his tone of voice changed as this relationship meant a great deal to him, and it was his past experiences that had made him escape. As a result, he dismissed the mathematical research he had been working on with Professor Gerald Lambeau, claiming that the math problems were too easy, and he grew tired of explaining his methods to others. It could be true for Will, since he excelled at math. In this case, the math problems did not arouse him enough, and he didn't gain a joyful experience or perform well. The additional work - explaining his concepts to others - annoyed and bored him, especially under the influence of the breakup.

In the later story, he turned down the opportunity to work for the NSA, even though his responsibility was to analyse math problems, for a different reason. Will viewed this job as detrimental to the other countries and to the lives of ordinary people. From a social and cultural perspective, his cognitive appraisals led him to decide that he wouldn't want this job for moral reasons. He was disgusted by the work content, and may feel shame and guilt if he took this job. On the contrary, when he shared his experience with his therapist, Dr. Sean Maguire, he looked proud, as if he had defended his beliefs and values. 

On the other hand, Professor Gerald Lambeau was very motivated to foster the growth and development of Will in the field of math, negotiated with the court to help Will avoid jail time by meeting and working with Lambeau on math and participating in therapy sessions weekly, and offered him a research position and numerous work opportunities. In addition to appreciating Will's math talent, Lambeau believed that if Will wasn't guided in a direction and encouraged by others, he would end up wasting his talent, nameless in the field, and may not enjoy a fulfilling life. Part of the reason came from his witness to the experience of his college roommate, Dr. Sean Maguire, Will's counselor, about how he wasted his resourceful capacity and ended up not achieving as he should. Lambeau felt irritated about this situation, and he didn't want Will to follow this path. Therefore, on what Will should be doing and what Dr. Maguire should do as Will's counselor, Lambeau and Maguire had an argument, and they had different views on how people should spend their lives. Maguire believed that doing what people feel like doing was more important than being successful in a secular sense. Neither did he agree that the medal was that crucial to him, and he enjoyed his life by spending his time with his wife. Maguire urged Will to pursue the life that made him happy. 

Will and Dr. Sean Maguire