Week 9 Flashcards
What is motivation?
The process that initiates, guides and maintains behaviours.
What are the components of motivation?
Activation - a choice to initiate that behaviour
Intensity - high effort
Persistence - lengthy effort
What are the three theories of motivation?
- achievement motivation theory
- achievement goal theory
- self-determination theory
Why is motivation important to understand in the workplace?
- not all motivation is created equal - quality depends on why and how we engage in work.
- what motivates people to perform well.
- what work conditions foster motivation.
Achievement Motivation Theory (AMT) Atkinson, 1964, 1974
The motivation for accomplishment (achievement) through mastery of skills.
Achievement motivation is based on personality:
- Motive or Need to Achieve Success (NACH)
- Motive or Need to Avoid Failure (NAF)
as well as situational factors.
Achievement Motivation equation - NACH
Individual’s level of motivation depends on personality and situational factors.
Ts = Mas X Ps x Is
Ts = tendency to achieve success
Mas = ‘Need/Motive to achieve’ (NACH)
Ps = probability of success
Is = importance to achieving success (incentive) e.g. what do they get from it if they succeed.
Achievement Motivation equation - NAF
Individual’s level of motivation depends on personality and situational factors:
Tf = Maf X Pf X If
Ts = tendency to avoid failure
Maf = ‘Need/Motive to avoid failure; (NAF) tendencies
Ps = probability of failure
Is = Importance of avoiding failure e.g. consequences if they fail.
Achievement Motivation Theory: impact on performance - supporting studies.
- studies involving competititive, game-like situations achievement-orientated individuals consistently showed a greater tendency to choose alternatives or perform tasks which had an intermediate probability of success.
- tendency of achievement-orientated and failure-threatened individuals to opt for challenge versus non-challenge was also exhibitied in curricular and job.
- need for achievement is positively related to entrepreneurial attitude in Mangement students.
Criticisms of Atkinson’s Theory
- doesnt specify how Mas and Maf develop.
- over-emphasises personal factors (Mas and Maf are constant) as crucial.
- cant account for cross-cultural differences.
Achievement Goal Theory (AGT)
Predicts that achievement is linked to the type of focus people place on the goal (goal orientation).
- task-oriented orientation (e.g. developing a skill for own’s sake).
- ego-oriented orientation (e.g. beating others).
Situational context
- mastery (task-involving) climate places emphasis on self-referenced improvement and cooperation,
- performance (ego-involving) climate places emphasis on winning, outperforming others and reward/punishment.
What is dispositional tendency?
An attitude.
What dispositional tendency does the AGT achieve?
Task-oriented
Goal-oriented
What are some supporting studies for Achievement Goal Theory?
- Mastery goals are more beneficial to academic achievement, though some studies have not shown the expected positive direct relations between mastery goals and achievement.
- Performance-avoid goal orientations are consistently and negatively related to achievement.
- Students who hold mastery goals are likely to be more congnitively, emotionally, and behaviourally engaged with tasks.
Critisms of Activation Goal Theory
- effects of performance goals may depend on how they are defined. Normative goals (social comparison).
What is self-determination theory (SDT), Deci and Ryan, 1985, Ross.
- a conceptualisation of locus of motivation —- intrinsic, extrinistic, A-motivation = ‘non-existent’, motivation, SDT also posits several levels in between.
What is the Intrinsic level of SDT?
- within individual
- performing a task for the joy of it
- learning
- developing abilities
- mastery and maximisation of skills
What is the extrinistic level of SDT?
- external force
- achieving desireable outcomes, often material rewards.
- achieving social rewards
- avoiding punishment, adverse consequences.
What are the 6 levels in between Intrinisic and Extrinistic?
- Intrinsic motivation - due to enjoyment desired from the behaviour itself.
- integrated regulation - motivation to engage in behaviours which are congreuence with other central personal goals and values.
- identified regulation - motivation reflecting internal pressures such as self-worth, guilt, shame, need for approval.
- External regulation - motivation to comply with external pressures on rewards.
- Amotivation - the state of lacking intention to act.
True or false: individuals with self-determined reasons to engage in their chosen activity have more positive experiences, less negative affect, and greater persistence.
True.
How can we promote intrunisic motivation?
- innate psychologyical nutriments that are essesntial for on going psychological growth, integrity and well-being.
1) Autonomy - personal control and volition, sense of voice and choice, freedom, chance to be oneself.
2) Relatedness (Belongingness) - feeling connected, belonging, valued, supported, understood.
3) Competence - feeling efficacious and competent.
What are the three innate fundamental propersites/ basic psychological need satisfaction?
Autonomy, Relatedness (belonging), competence.
Supporting studies of SDT?
- A belgium based survey, 745 employees from 150 organisations found that satisfaction of the 3 needs led to less exhaustion.
- Frustration of the basic needs predicted poorer work-related well-being, as indexed by greater exhaustion.
Critisms of SDT?
- lack of research comparing basic psychological needs vs other possible need candidates (i.e. need for power).
- lack of comparative studies against other motivation theory constructs (i.e. other motivational mechanisms affecting well-being and performance).
- lack of cross-cultural research: individuals mostly benefit from the satisfaction of those needs that are explicitly valued in their culture.
