motivation theorists often study how the way we feel affects the way we behave. for example it has been noted that people are drawn toward that they think will give them positive emotions and that they avoid those that they believe will create negative feelings. in the past, many motivation theorists insisted that our emotions are simply generated by a primitive part of our brain and that it is a waste of time to pay close attention to them. these days, however, it has been shown that human emotions are part of complex chemical reactions that take place within our bodies and brains. therefore, most modern motivation theorists suggest that we should use them to help guide our behavior.