5: Motivation 2

Lecture Overview

• Class Conduct

  • Request for no talking during lectures to avoid disturbances.

• Topic Introduction

  • Lecture about the psychology of motiva tion, tying in historical context and examples.

Key Theories of Motivation

• Henry Murray's Contributions

  • A pioneer in psychosocial motives.

  • Suggested that many motives are unconscious and affect behavior.

  • Developed the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) to measure motives:

  • Motivation is inferred from stories participants create about ambiguous images.

  • TAT is often used to assess three major needs:

    • Need for Achievement: Desire to accomplish things for intrinsic satisfaction.

    • Leaders: David McClellan and John Atkinson.

    • Findings:

      • High need for achievement relates to working hard and enjoying challenges.

    • Need for Power: Desire to influence or control others.

    • Can yield both positive (leadership) and negative consequences (war).

    • Need for Affiliation: Desire to form friendly and nurturing relationships

    • Higher scores lead to better team dynamics and friendships.

Measurement of Motives

• TAT vs. Self-Report Measures

  • TAT can reflect unconscious motives; self-report measures often capture conscious values.

  • Researchers found self-reports correlate poorly with TAT results.

• Needs as Traits or States:

  • Needs can be activated by situations or can be enduring characteristics of individuals.

Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

• Founders: Edward Deci and Richard Ryan

  • Proposes three basic organismic needs:

  • Competence: Need for mastery and achievement.

  • Relatedness: Need for social connection and belonging.

  • Autonomy: Need for independence and self-governance.

  • Suggests motivation is often for growth rather than merely fulfilling deficits.

• Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation:

  • Intrinsic motivation arises from genuine interest, leading to joy in activity.

  • Extrinsic motivation stems from external incentives, potentially undermining intrinsic drive.

  • Evidence suggests rewards can diminish interest in intrinsically motivated tasks.

Sexual Motivation

• Importance of Sexual Motivation:

  • Often underrepresented in psychology despite being a significant motivational factor.

• Evolutionary Perspective:

  • Sexual behavior is influenced by natural selection, mainly for reproductive success.

• Social and Cultural Influences:

  • Cultural norms dictate sexual behavior, influencing values and moral reactions towards various practices.

• Comparative Behavior:

  • Homosexual behavior is common in animals, illustrating complexity in sexual options beyond human norms.

Regulation of Motivation

• Goal Conflict Resolution:

  • Regulation is necessary during conflicts between different goals.

  • Delay of Gratification:

  • Walter Mischel's marshmallow test illustrates struggles with self-control.

  • Strategies for Improvement:

  • Out of sight, distractions, imagery to moderate emotional responses towards desires.

  • Setting specific, realistic goals increases success probability.

  • Implemental intentions (specific plans for achieving goals).

  • Monitoring and public commitments improve goal achievement.

Summary of Topics Discussed

• Overview of psychosocial and unconscious motives through TAT.

• Examination of prominent needs (achievement, power, affiliation) and their complexities in measurement.

• Discussion of self-determination theory and intrinsic vs extrinsic motivations.

• Insights into sexual motivation's role and measurement challenges.

• Techniques for regulating motivation for goal achievement.