Motivation

Question 1

What is motivation (as defined in the slides)?

Answer 1

An internal process that
activates, guides, and maintains
behaviour over time.

Question 2

What are the 2 types of needs on Maslow’s hierarchy?

Answer 2

1. Deficiency needs
2. Growth needs

Question 3

In Maslow’s hierarchy, what are the 4 deficiency needs?

Answer 3

1. Physiological
2. Safety
3. Belonging/love
4. Esteem

Question 4

In Maslow’s hierarchy, what are the 4 growth (self-fulfillment) needs?

Answer 4

1. Cognitive
2. Aesthetic
3. Self-actualization
4. Transcendence

Question 5

From Maslow’s hierarchy, what is a deficiency need?

Answer 5

Needs that you develop due to deprivation. Unpleasant consequences result from having these needs unmet.

Question 6

From Maslow’s hierarchy, what is a growth (self-fulfillment) need?

Answer 6

Needs which help you to grow as a person and reach your full potential.

Question 7

In motivation and attribution theory, what are the two loci of control?

Answer 7

Internal and External

Question 8

In motivation and attribution theory, what is meant by having an internal locus of control?

Answer 8

Belief that success or failure is due to one’s own efforts or abilities.

Question 9

In motivation and attribution theory, what is meant by having an external locus of control?

Answer 9

Belief that other factors, such as luck, task difficulty, or other people’s actions, cause success or failure.

Question 10

Describe attribution theory in the context of motivation?

Answer 10

A theory of motivation that focuses on how people explain the causes of their own successes and failures.

Question 11

What are the 3 characteristics of attribution theory? (remember that these are ___ or ___).

Answer 11

1. Internal or External
2. Stable or Unstable
3. Controllable or Uncontrollable

Question 12

What is the “central assumption” of attribution theory?

Answer 12

That people will attempt to maintain a positive self-image.

Question 13

A person who, when asked about their performance on a task says “it was easy” is exhibiting which locus of control?

Answer 13

External, their own efforts had nothing to do with success or failure.

Question 14

How would you define the “stability” of a characteristic in attribution theory?

Answer 14

How much a given reason for success or failure could be expected to change. Ex: luck, effort, etc.

Question 15

How is “self-efficacy” defined?

Answer 15

One’s belief that a given task or behaviour can be successfully performed.

Question 16

How does Bandura view self-efficacy?

Answer 16

As being the foundation of human motivation, well-being, and accomplishments.

Question 17

True or False: If someone is easily convinced of the futility of their efforts in the face of difficulty, they likely have high self-efficacy.

Answer 17

False. They have low self-efficacy and quickly give up trying.

Question 18

What are the 3 dimensions of self-efficacy expectations? As in, what factors are likely to influence self-efficacy?

Answer 18

1. Level: degree of task difficulty a person feels capable of.
2. Strength: confidence a person has in their estimates
3. Generality: range of situations in which a person feels efficacious

Question 19

What is meant by the quote “the deficits in information needed to develop… personal efficacy are also the means for the cure” (Betz 1992)? Why does this matter to us as teachers?

Answer 19

The elements for the treatment of low self-efficacy are contained in the theory. Basically, identifying low self-efficacy also means identifying what you as a teacher can do to fix it.

Question 20

What are the 4 information sources used by individuals to form and modify self-efficacy?

Answer 20

1. Performance experiences (a.k.a. skills mastery)
2. Vicarious experiences
3. Verbal persuasion
4. Physical and emotional reactions

Question 21

Which of the 4 information sources does Bandura think is the most influential for shaping self-efficacy?

Answer 21

Performance experiences (Mastery experiences). Believed to be the most authentic evidence for whether a goal will be achieved.

Question 22

How can we as teachers help students have performance experiences in order to increase their self-efficacy?

Answer 22

Develop plan of action and provide step-by-step-instructions for how to achieve goals.

Question 23

True or False: Distal goals, rather than proximal goals, are more effective for increasing students’ self-efficacy through mastery experiences.

Answer 23

False. Better to start with proximal (shorter-term) goals to make achievement easier and more frequent. Break distal goals into these proximal goals.

Question 24

What do the letters in the SMART acronym for goal-setting mean?

Answer 24

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound

Question 25

What makes a model more effective for increasing someone’s self-efficacy through vicarious learning?

Answer 25

A model who is similar to the subject that has struggled with the task rather than a model who appears to be a master.

Question 26

Performance feedback should have 3 characteristics in order to be the most effective. What are they?

Answer 26

1. Specific
2. Focused on effort
3. Attributional

Question 27

Give an example of effective feedback that is attributional.

Answer 27

“You did a great job memorizing all the flashcards before the exam!”

Or any other example that attributes success to completion of a specific task.

Question 28

True or False: You as a teacher cannot help students who are having physical and emotional reactions (ex: anxiety) to their performance.

Answer 28

False. You can and should help them re-interpret their feelings. Ex: “It’s normal to be nervous before a big game.”

Question 29

What is the key requirement of self-regulated learning? i.e. what must learners do for this to be effective?

Answer 29

Learners must take independent responsibility for their learning, not simply comply with the teacher’s demands.

Question 30

What is expectancy theory and how does it inform a person’s motivation?

Answer 30

The theory states that a person’s motivation increases as task difficulty increases up until the person decides that success is unlikely or not worth the effort.

Question 31

As teachers, what does expectancy theory tell us about the difficulty of tasks we should assign to our students?

Answer 31

Tasks should be neither too easy or too difficult in order to optimize motivation. Aim for moderate to difficult tasks.

Question 32

If a student is affiliation motivated how are they likely to choose a partner for group work?

Answer 32

They are likely to choose a friend or someone they’re close with.

Question 33

If a student is achievement motivated how are they likely to choose a partner for group work?

Answer 33

They are likely to choose a partner who is good at the work, so that they have a higher chance of achieving success.

Question 34

True or False: a student who is achievement motivated is likely to attribute failures to external factors.

Answer 34

False. This student is more likely to attribute failure to lack of effort.

Question 35

In terms of goal orientation, what is the difference between learning goals (aka task or mastery) and performance goals?

Answer 35

Learning = desire for knowledge and self improvement
Performance = desire for recognition and good grades

Question 36

True or False: a student who is motivated by performance goals is likely to take difficult courses and challenge themselves.

Answer 36

False. This student will take easy courses and avoid challenge so that they don’t risk the recognition and praise they desire.

Question 37

True or False: a student who is motivated by learning goals is likely to persist through challenges and take more difficult courses.

Answer 37

True. This student is mostly interested in self-improvement and sees less value in easier courses.

Question 38

What does the term “learned helplessness” mean?

Answer 38

Students have belief that nothing they do matters and that (usually in a certain context) any action they take is futile.

Question 39

What can we as teachers do for students who exhibit learned helplessness?

Answer 39

• Set small, achievable goals
• Give immediate feedback
• Set consistent expectations
• Accentuate positives
• Eliminate negatives
• Progress from familiar to new
• Let students create problems to solve
  + others I’m sure

Question 40

What is the Pygmalion/Rosenthal effect?

Answer 40

Students of teachers with high performance expectations showed greater improvement than was anticipated.

Question 41

What are some examples of ways teachers can reduce student anxiety in the classroom?

Answer 41

• Provide opportunity to correct errors
• Provide clear instruction
• Avoid time pressures
• Order test questions from easy to hard
• Provide referral to professional resources if needed
  + others probably

Question 42

True or False: Students should probably not be given extrinsic rewards for tasks in which they typically would engage without rewards.

Answer 42

True. Why reward them for doing something they already want to do?

Question 43

What are some key principles for providing extrinsic incentives (i.e. rewards)?

Answer 43

• Express clear expectations
• Provide clear & specific feedback
• Provide immediate feedback
• Provide frequent feedback
  + others probably

Question 44

What are some general ways teachers can enhance intrinsic motivation in students?

Answer 44

• Arouse interest
• Maintain curiosity
• Use a variety of presentation modes
• Help students set their own goals
  + others?

Question 45

True or False: Praise is an effective method of feedback when planned ahead of time.

Answer 45

False. Should be spontaneous! What if the person doesn’t actually do the thing you meant to praise them for?

Question 46

True or False: praise is most effective when it is specific rather than general.

Answer 46

True. It should specify the particular behaviour being praised.

Question 47

True or False: praise is an effective tool for increasing motivation even when given for trivial accomplishments.

Answer 47

False. Giving praise for basic shit makes the student expect that and so they lose confidence later on if you don’t always praise them for basic shit.

Question 48

True or False: Praise is most effective when provided for effort rather than successes.

Answer 48

False. Both are equally effective motivators and praise should be given if either is significant.

Question 49

True or False: in order for praise to be effective it needs to be matched to students’ developmental level.

Answer 49

True. Asking a kindergartner to reflect on their reading comprehension score is probably less effective than just telling them that they did a good job.