WK 2 - motivation context and theory

Administering behaviourist studies such as operant conditioning was not simple

Rotter: expectations altered behaviour independent of reinforcement history

Good motivation theory: descriptive utility

organises/defines/labels what is happening

Good motivation theory: explanatory utility

accounts for individual differences, environmental contexts

Good motivation theory: predictive utility

forecasts, at least partially, future behaviours

Self-determination theory

satisfies these criteria, built with a broad integrative goal, built one piece at a time

How did self-determination theory cause a copernican turn in motivation science?

from behaviourist thinking to the self as an active integrative process

• Integration of external and internal environment is the core of healthy functioning - what leads to integration?

  • Ryan and Deci adopted the view

people have integrative tendencies - we have a natural desire to add things to ourselves to become more complex and incorporate things in our environment so we are not separate from our environment

Cognitive evaluation theory - Deci reward study procedure

one condition offered money and other offered nothing for solving puzzle

Cognitive evaluation theory - Deci reward study results

spent less time when offered money than when offered nothing (intinsic motivation)

Cognitive evaluation theory - what does the results of Deci study show?

Introducing monetary rewards led to a decrease in intrinsic motivation

Perceived locus of causality for different rewards

• controlling rewards - external

• informational reward - internal

Cogntiive evaluation theory: Strategies that work

• provide meaningful choice

• adopt another internal frame of reference

• positive feedback and how to do better

Cogntiive evaluation theory: Strategies that don’t work

• controlling praise

• you must, have to

• grades, evaluation, threat of punishment

Organismic integration theory - how does intrinsic motivation develop?

• most activities start due to external reasons

• integration is core element of what humans do

Basic psychological needs theory - what is a need?

In its absence, detrimental effects for wellbeing, functioning and motivation occur. In its presence positive effects occur

Basic psychological needs: autonomy

The need for volition and choice with regards to a focal activity, the desire to experience ones behaviour as self-determined

Basic psychological needs: autonomy research (Patall et al, 2010)

high school students given choice between two options for homework assignment had more intrinsic motivation for homework and performed better on tests

Basic psychological needs: Autonomy research Henry (1994)

ppt chose between 2 sets of questions, resulting in an increase in perceieved competence

Basic psychological needs: competence

the need for a sense of capability with regards to a focal activity

Candidate needs that have been cancelled out of the basic psychological needs theory

novelty, nature, morality