Chapter 8 - Textbook Flashcards
Motivation is a theoretical concept referring to
our beliefs, values, and interests
Motives are hypothetical constructs used to explain
why people are doing what they are doing
Motives are distinguished from related constructs such as goals (DEFINE) and strategies
goals = (the immediate objectives of particular sequences of behaviour)
strategies = (the methods used to achieve goals and thus to satisfy motives)
- Although, all three (motives, goals, and strategies) contribute uniquely to understanding the driving forces behind our actions
Early behavioural views depicted humans as responsive to “primary drives”
such as hunger and thirst
when do primary and secondary drives form?
- The common assumption was that primary drives are present at birth, whereas “secondary drives” begin to form through early child experience
- That is secondary drives are learned through experience and socialization rather than being innate or present at birth
give an example of how secondary drives are learned
For instance, if a parent is always present during nursing, due to the repeated association between food and social contact, a child learns that interactions with other people (particularly caregivers) can be highly rewarding
- Recall that behaviourist theories rely less on explaining behaviour through drives or needs and instead focus on reinforcement as the primary mechanism for establishing and maintaining behaviour
Motivational theories shifted away from explaining our actions through a _ lens.
behaviourist
what is the most famous theory on human motivation?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Although psychology students worldwide widely study the HON, it has been open to criticism. Here are a few points to keep in mind:
[1] developmental changes may cause the hierarchy of needs to shift depending on an individual’s stage of life
[2] the theory might be too simplistic to explain all aspects of human behaviour
[3] the hierarchy may vary across cultures, particularly between collectivist and individualistic societies
[4] it might have inherent biases due to its development from a Western perspective, which may limit its generalizability to all human behaviour
Another branch of motivational psychology focuses on goal setting as a crucial component of
human motivation
The motivational psychology field of research focuses on one major question:
why, given all of the options available to us, do we pursue one goal or path while ignoring others?
According to Goal Theories, human motivation combines several goals involving different psychological and social needs. Name the 9 different types of goals
- affective
- cognitive
- subjective organizational
- self-assertive goals
- integrative social relationship goals
- task goals
- learning goals
- performance goals
- work-avoidant goals
describe affective goals
include our emotional and physical satisfaction
- for example, we might attend a meditation class for stress relief and tranquillity, go to a concert for entertainment and joy, or indulge in a spa-related activity for pleasurable bodily sensations and enhanced well-being
describe cognitive goals
relate to intellectual curiosity. Consider reading a book for intellectual fulfillment or spending hours completing a complex puzzle because it engages our minds
describe subjective organization goals
include a strong focus on spiritual awareness
- Rather than participating in a meditation class for stress relief, as in the case of affective goals, one might desire a sense of heightened spiritual awareness through the experience
A person may pursue self-assertive goals by
taking on a leadership role at work or competing in a sporting event in their community to feel a sense of achievement
Integrative social relationship goals relate to
our ethical and social obligations. We may volunteer at a community centre or advocate for issues of social, gender, and indigenous inequalities
Task goals help us learn and continue practicing skills, such as
playing a musical instrument or focusing on efficient time management strategies, to better manage our academic, personal, and professional responsibilities
Within the context of student learning, adopting different types of goals may have a great impact on how they
approach their learning and thus their overall educational experience
describe learning goals
Learning goals help us focus more on understanding and mastering the academic content
describe performance goals
While performance goals might shift our focus more on the final outcome, such as earning a high mark, as to why we might take one course over another
describe work-avoidant goals
Lastly, when students adopt work-avoidant goals, they minimize facing challenges by focusing more on reducing the time and effort they devote to the task itself
To encourage students to practice learning goal focused on mastering the material rather than work-avoidant goals, classroom applications of goal theories recommend two major strategies. name the first
The creation of a classroom environment that nudges students in the direction of learning goals
- For example, focusing on emphasizing that students should feel safe to make mistakes and by highlighting that errors happen while we learn and that our focus should be on the adoption of a mastery goal mindset
To encourage students to practice learning goal focused on mastering the material rather than work-avoidant goals, classroom applications of goal theories recommend two major strategies. name the first
Teachers can reduce competition among students by avoiding practices such as posting scores so that all students are aware of each other’s performance on an assignment or on a test
- Yes, this was standard practice once upon a time! This reduces the pursuit of performance goals or work-avoidant goals in students
