Exam 1 Flashcards
What is motivation?
Motivations are driven by internal motives which give behavior its energy, direction, persistence
Three Internal Motives
Needs, Cognition, Emotions
Needs
Conditions in the individual that are essential and necessary for life
e.g) hunger, thirst, competence, relatedness, autonomy, etc
Cognitions
Mental events capable of energizing and directing behavior
e.g) goals, plans, mindsets, etc
Emotions
Short-lived, feeling arousal-purposive-expressive phenomena that help us adapt to the opportunities and challenges we face during life
What affects motives and behaviors?
Energy, Direction, Persistance
Energy
Behavior has strength, it can vary in its initiation, intensity, and persisitance
Direction
Behavior and purpose and aiming to achieve a certain outcome
Persistence
Behavior has endurance, it sustains itself over time and across situations
Why study motivation and emotion?
Theoretical gains: provides an explanation and understanding
How do we study motivations and emotions?
Behavioral science which requires: Objective, data-based, empirical evidence gained from
well-conducted peer-reviewed research findings
Why do we study emotions with motivation?
Emotions are one type of motive: They energize and direct behavior just like needs and cognitions do
Emotions express the person’s ever-changing motivational states and
personal adaptation status
What motivates us to do things?
As humans, we have instincts to fulfill needs which results in better mental and physical well-being.
Intrinsic motivation
An inherent desire to engage in one’s interests and to exercise and develop one’s capacities
Extrinsic Motivation
An environmentally created reason (e.g., incentives, rewards or punishments) to engage in an activity or action
External regulation of motivation
Incentives, Rewards, Consequences
Incentives
Incentives are provided by the environment and learned
ex) promising a child a cookie to complete reciting multiplication tables task
Theory of Behaviorism
Theory of Learning that state that organisms act to receive rewards and avoid punishments (behaviors are acquired through conditioning)
When are rewards harmful?
Rewards have negative effects mainly when they are clearly contingent on doing another activity, when they are expected, and when they are tangible (such as money, prizes or grades).
Behaviorism in psychology
Grades are a form of extrinsic
motivation: they reward accomplishment
The empty-vessel model (behaviorism)
Children do not come into the classroom with
beliefs, ideas, and knowledge and rather need
teacher to pour knowledge into their brains
What to do when students arrive at different levels?
- Decenter grading: focus on learning objectives for the course
- Emphasize the entire portfolio
- Students develop an individualized plan
- Encourage self-evaluation
- Portfolio conference