Lesson 7: Motivation Flashcards
Mental mechanistic perspective: definition motivation
Motivation is a mental driving force or state, one found inside the individual which makes them likely to engage in goal-directed behaviour. This mental mechanism (whether it is desire, a belief, goal, or intention) is said to explain why people initiate, continue or terminate a certain behaviour at a particular time.
Behaviour analytic perspective: definition motivation
Motivation is a useful label that orientates us towards a certain class of behaviour. Our job is to figure out what stimuli come before and after “motivated” behaviours, and how those stimuli are functionally related to such behaviour.
From a behaviour-analytic perspective, viewing motivation as an internal “thing” driving behaviour is problematic. Why? (2)
(1) Because this involves circular reasoning: the causal variable (“motivation”) is inferred from the very behaviour that it’s supposed to explain
(2) Viewing motivation as an internal cause also suggests that the factors which influence behaviour are inside of us instead of in the environment. This leads us to ignore the principles of behaviour and their utility in behaviour change.
Four term contingency + definitions
A: antecedent /discriminative stimuli (SD) = cue or trigger, signals whether/when behaviour will be followed by consequences
B: behaviour = what we want to predict and influence
C: consequence = reinforcer or punisher
MO: motivating operations = alters the effectiveness of the consequences and the probability of the behaviour
Two key functions of motivating operations (2)
(1) value altering effect: they alter how effective a consequence (reinforcer or punisher) is
(2) behaviour altering effect: they influence the probability of the behaviour
Two types of MO’s (2)
(1) establishing operations (EO)
(2) abolishing operations (AO)
Definition: establishing operations
This type of stimulus temporarily increases the effectiveness of a reinforcer/punisher, and as a result, the probability of behaviour connected to that reinforcer/punisher.
Two functions of EO’s (2)
(1) value altering effect: it makes you prefer this outcome, the value of the consequence goes up
(2) Behaviour altering effect: evoke the behaviour that seeks out these consequences / behaviours that produce this consequence become more likely
Definition: unconditioned EO’s
= “innate drives” or “physiological motives”
for example: deprivation of food, water, sleep, activity, and oxygen, temperature regulation
Definition: conditioned EO’s
= “acquired drive” or “social motives”
for example: deprivation of attention, toys, objects
Definition: abolishing operations
This type of stimulus temporarily decreases the effectiveness of a reinforcer/punisher, and as a result, the probability of behaviour connected to that reinforcer/punisher.
Two functions of AO’s (2)
(1) value atering effect: the value of the consequence goes down
(2) Behaviour altering effect : avoid the behaviour that seeks out these consequences / behaviours that produce this consequence become less likely
Definition: unconditioned AO’s
= “innate drives” or “physiological motives”
for example: satiation of food, water, sleep, activity, and oxygen, temperature regulation
Definition: conditioned AO’s
= “acquired drive” or “social motives”
for example: satiation of attention, toys, objects
In what ways are SD’s and MO’s similar vs. different?
Similar: they are both antecedents
Different: SD’s signal if and when behaviour will be followed by a consequence. MO’s impact the effectiveness of the consequence that follows behaviour.
