Unit 4 - Motivation and Wellbeing (psych)

Motivation

The conscious or unconscious drive leading the behaviours that individuals initiate, direct and maintain

*motives influence behaviour

Motives

The desires behind goal directed behaviour

4 sources/motives of motivation (incl. definition)

1. Physiological: The needs for survival that motivate must human behaviour e.g. sleep, toilet, drink, hunger, etc

2. Cognitions: Motivation is derived from intellectual challenges due to the intrinsic motivation that they produce. This drive is to satisfy curiosity and explore personal interests e.g. values, goals, expectations

3. Emotional: Motivation is derived from trying to avoid pain and seeking happiness e.g. avoid fear, anger, stress or strive for happiness and joy

4. Social: Motivation is derived from the drive to form connections and relationships with people around us e.g. peer pressure, conforming and seeking approval

3 types of motivation - Self Determination Theory, Deci and Ryan (1985) (incl. defintions)

1. Amotivation: The lack of intrinsic or extrinsic motivation

   • Increases when the environment disables behaviour from being performed

2. Extrinsic motivation: Motivation stems from the desire for external rewards

   • e.g. respect, money, awards

   • This motivation is a means to an end

3. Intrinsic motivation: Motivation stems from an inner desire for self actualisation (full potential) arising from achieving a specific goal

   • e.g. self gratification

   • this motivation is an end in itself

3 psychological needs for motivation - SDT Deci and Ryan (1985) (incl. defintions)

1. Autonomy: The need for people to feel in control of their own actions.

   • Improves wellbeing + increases motivation

2. Competency: The need to feel capable of mastering new skills + experiencing a sense of achievement

   • Increases likelihood of experiencing satisfaction from overcoming obstacles

3. Relatedness: The longing to form social connections + be part of positive relationships

   • Improves wellbeing

Strengths of Self Determination Theory - Deci and Ryan (1985)

• Theory is applicable across cultures and contexts as 3 needs are universal

• Intrinsic motivation is a crucial aspect of SDT as it supports people doing things they enjoy rather than solely doing things for external rewards

Limitations of Self Determination Theory - Deci and Ryan (1985)

• The strong emphasis on autonomy is argued to minimise influence of external rewards on motivation

• The theory’s multiple complex components may limit the ability to comprehend it and apply

  *facilitator

Application to the real world - Self Determination Theory, Deci and Ryan (1985)

• It is desirable to teachers, employers, managers to increase the 3 psychological needs

• Improves self determination, leading to intrinsic motivation and therefore promoting positive wellbeing

Levels of Motivation - Maslow (1954)

Maslow (1954) created a hierarchy of needs based on the idea that everyone should reach self actualisation

• Order of needs may vary amongst individuals and people can be motivated by more than one need simultaneously

• There is a continual up and down movement as partially/fully satisfied needs may become threatened and require attention

Self actualisation (Maslow, 1954)

The ultimate state of being that everyone is trying to attain.

• Involves reaching ones full potential and continually seeking growth and knowledge

2 types of motivation and needs - Maslow (1954)

1. Deficiency needs: basic needs people are motivated to fulfil due to their absence

   • Important for survival

   • Motivation decreases as each need is met

2. Growth needs: needs that once met, act as the motivation to continue fulfilling them

   • Develops unique personality + leads to happiness

   • Motivation increases as need is met

First hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 1954)

• Level 1: physiological needs

• Level 2: safety needs

• Level 3: love and belongingness

• Level 4: esteem

• Level 5: self actualisation

  *don’t say pyramid in exam

Hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 1970)

In 1970, Maslow produced a revised hierarchy of needs after additional reflection and research.

Deficiency needs:

1. Physiological needs

2. Safety needs

3. Love and Belongingness

4. Esteem needs

Growth needs:

5. Cognitive needs

6. Aesthetic needs

7. Self actualisation

8. Transcendence needs

1. Physiological needs (Hierarchy of Needs - Maslow, 1970)

Basic biological requirements that provide energy, physical contentment and health

→ e.g. food, water, shelter, toilet, etc

2. Safety needs (Hierarchy of Needs - Maslow, 1970)

Involves both physical and emotional safety. A lack of this causes anxiety and lack of confidence in the environment.

→ e.g. stability, order, free from threat

3. Love and belongingness (Hierarchy of Needs - Maslow, 1970)

Involves both receiving love and giving love. A lack of this can result in isolation and loneliness

→ e.g. worthy of love, affection, etc

4. Esteem needs (Hierarchy of Needs - Maslow, 1970)

Involves two components…

• Self esteem: desire for achievement, confidence and freedom

• Respect from others: recognition, attention and appreciation from others

5. Cognitive needs

Involves gaining knowledge and understanding through senses, personal experiences and mental activity

• Curiosity to understand

• Philosophy and theology

6. Aesthetic needs (Hierarchy of Needs - Maslow, 1970)

The appreciation for anything beautiful, contributing to a positive wellbeing. A lack of this can cause a sense of discomfort.

7. Self actualisation (Hierarchy of Needs - Maslow, 1970)

The ultimate state of being that everyone is trying to attain.

• Each person has their own way of reaching a feeling of self realisation, self fulfilment and self actualisation

• Increases as people are autonomous

• Peaks and troughs are normal here

• Restlessness and discontentment are barriers to reaching self actualisation

8. Transcendence needs (Hierarchy of Needs - Maslow, 1970)

Going beyond the limits of human experience. The deeper meaning found is then used to help humanity rather than focusing on the self.

Pyramid of the hierarchy of needs - Maslow, 1970

Strengths - (Hierarchy of Needs - Maslow, 1970)

• The theory focused on healthy human psychological development, uncommon at the time

• Theory was supported by a meta analysis conducted by Alexander and colleagues (1991).

  • Results from 42 studies revealed transcendental meditation (variant of yoga) was associated with significant progress toward self actualisation

Limitations - (Hierarchy of Needs - Maslow, 1970)

• Sample = small and purposeful, selected by Maslow. It lacked objectivity as he used subjective measures only

• The hierarchical categorisation of needs oversimplifies complex human behaviour, other theorists arguing it is not the most suitable structure for human needs

*pyramid shape not created by Maslow, however, it has become popular. It is not reflective of human behaviour and life obstacles

Application of real world - (Hierarchy of Needs - Maslow, 1970)

• Maslow’s theory provides the framework to educational programs around the world

• Physiological needs are required before other needs can be met

Wellbeing

Feeling happy and content/in a positive state in one’s life

Subjective wellbeing - Diener, 1984

The mixture of positive and negative measures + overall emotional and cognitive assessment of life that is personal to everyone

→ It is based on personal experiences and therefore is ‘subjective’ for each person

3 main components that make up subjective wellbeing - Diener (1984)

1. Life satisfaction

2. Affective balance (positive affect (2) and negative affect (3)

→ Life satisfaction + Affective balance = Subjective wellbeing

1. Life satisfaction - 3 main components that make up subjective wellbeing (Diener, 1984)

The overall assessment a person makes of their own life and their own life experiences

• These global judgements are the ‘cognitive’ measures of wellbeing

• Influenced by feeling an overall positive affect of mood, usually influenced by those closest to you

2. Affective balance - 3 main components that make up subjective wellbeing (Diener, 1984)

Comprises of all moods, emotions and feelings that an individual experiences.

• The moods and emotions make up the ‘emotional’ measure of wellbeing

• Positive affect = pleasant emotions

• Negative affect = unpleasant emotions

• Both affects are experienced, with people attempting to enhance their lives by reducing negative affect and increasing positive affect

• A global judgement of happiness is continually assessed by people comparing their negative affect with their positive affect

Strengths (Subjective wellbeing - Diener, 1984)

• Cultural universality: the theory can be applied across cultures and contexts

• The theory is comprehensive and holistic

Limitations (Subjective wellbeing - Diener, 1984)

• External factors are not considered in the theory e.g. finances, work conditions, relationships and cultural influences

• Self report: The theory relies on self reporting - subjective measures = can produce bias when participants give answers in order to be socially desirable

Applications to real world (Subjective wellbeing - Diener, 1984)

• The effectiveness of public health initiatives and policies are positively influenced by the knowledge of the theory

*includes longitudinal study

Psychological wellbeing scale (PWB) - Ryff, 1989

• Designed PWB based off her theory of psychological wellbeing

• Higher scores on each scale indicate higher wellbeing

6 factors:

1. Autonomy

2. Environmental mastery

3. Personal growth

4. Positive relations with others

5. Purpose in lie

6. Self acceptance

1. Autonomy (PWB - Ryff, 1989)

• Refers to individuals seeking personal evaluation from within themselves using their own standards + making their own decisions using free will

Dimension:

• HIGH = independent, able to make their own choices based on their self-accepted moral principles rather than conforming to social norms

• LOW = highly concerned by what society thinks of them, easily pressured to conform to social norms, makes decisions based on the opinion of others

2. Environmental mastery (PWB - Ryff, 1989)

• Refers to manipulating the environment to best suit personal needs especially when it is not desirable + a feeling of being able to influence others

Dimensions:

• HIGH = feels confident in manipulating their environment, manages complicated tasks, makes the most of situations they find themselves in.

• LOW = feels unable to manipulate their surroundings, finds complex tasks overwhelming, feels little control over their external environment.

3. Personal growth (PWB - Ryff, 1989)

• Refers to utilising past and present experiences to allow one to continually develop as a person and experience new things

Dimensions:

• HIGH = has a sense of continual development + self-improvement, welcomes new experiences and reflects upon them to increase knowledge.

• WEAK = feels a sense of stagnation due to a lack of personal improvement, is unmotivated to try to better themselves, finds life boring, and feels unable to shift this mindset.

4. Positive relations with others (PWB - Ryff, 1989)

• Refers to individuals who self-actualise finding importance in forming genuine empathetic relationships with other people and guiding the younger generations

Dimensions:

• STRONG = understands relationships involve a balance of give and take, is empathetic, affectionate and caring, can participate in trusting relationships.

• WEAK = is unwilling to make compromises in relationships, has difficulties caring for others and forming intimate + trusting human connections.

5. Purpose in life (PWB - Ryff, 1989)

• Refers to meaning in life evolving over time, requiring the individual to continually re-evaluate its intentionality and direction

Dimensions:

• STRONG = believes that past and present life is meaningful, sets life goals to follow and has a sense of direction.

• WEAK = feels life lacks purpose so does not reflect on past or present experiences or set personal goals.

6. Self acceptance (PWB - Ryff, 1989)

• Refers to an individual's acknowledgement of their personal strengths, weaknesses and past decisions and behaviours.

Dimensions:

• HIGH = accepting of good and bad personal characteristics, has high self-esteem, and has a positive view of the life they have lived.

• LOW = concerned by certain parts of their character, has low self-esteem and is disappointed in their past life.

Strengths - (PWB - Ryff, 1989)

• The model encompasses multiple dimensions unlike other wellbeing models

• Ryff created a PWB survey that allowed empirical evidence to be collected, it having high reliability and validity

Limitations - (PWB - Ryff, 1989)

• Additional factors that affect wellbeing are not accounted for e.g. economic and social factors

• Does not account for negative affect e.g. adversity, hardship

Application to real world context - (PWB - Ryff, 1989)

PWB has been used to find that there is a relationship between optimal sleep duration and psychological wellbeing