Why study Motivation? The WHY of behavior.. Central to Psychology See a behavior Looting in New Orleans Why did they do that? Hungry? Taking advantage.

Why study Motivation?

The WHY of behavior.

Central to Psychology

See a behavior

Looting in New Orleans

Why did they do that?

Hungry?

Taking advantage of situation?

Investigate the causes for action.

Investigating a crime.

Example: young lady found murdered

Means

Opportunity

Motive

Means

How was the murder committed?

Killed with a golf club

Blow strong enough to be lethal

Opportunity

Suspect in the same location.

No alibi.

Eye witness who saw the suspect at location.

Red and white Ferrari

Motive

Why?

Not just an accident

Money

Jealousy

Revenge

Secret

Why is motive so important?

What do you think?

Another example:

Why might a person experiment with psychoactive drugs?

Possible reasons for drug use

Interest

Risk taking

Peer influence

Change of Mood

Enjoyment

Intervention

How should we help them stop?

Just tell them to not to do it.

Problem with just say no?

Doesn’t deal with underlying reason

Offer alternatives

Reward for doing alternatives.

Possible alternatives for drug use

Interest

Risk taking

Peer influence

Change of Mood

Enjoyment

For those who become addicted

Drugs rule their lives.

Lose motivation for other activities.

Choices narrow.

Loss of family, job, home.

Yet some reach a turning point.

Decide to quit.

Filling the void

Loss of addiction leaves huge void.

Must fill the void in order to feel whole.

Fellowship of others: AA, CA, GA

Spirituality

“AA not about staying sober. It’s about finding a new way to live.”

Addiction and Grace

Define Motivation

Study of those processes that give behavior its energy and direction.

Energy: strength to start and complete task

Direction: purpose, aimed at achieving goal

Elements

Motivation based on

Internal needs

Thoughts and emotions

And

External events

Organizing Motivation

Internal motives

Needs Cognitions Emotions

External events

Motivation

Fire fighter rescues girl

Internal motives

Needs

Thoughts

Emotions

External events

Internal Needs

Biological needs:

Essential to sustain life (food, water)

Psychological needs

Achievement, mastery

Social needs

Belonging to groups

Cognitive Needs

Mental events (thoughts)

Beliefs and expectations

Ways of evaluating failures and successes

Example: Do well on first test.

Good study habits or luck?

Emotions

Provide the fuel for action

Emote: brings about actions

Best plans of little use unless you carry them out.

Emotional intelligence: knowing yourself and other people

External events

Provide the reason for motivation

Incentives for action

Incentive are useful

help direct behavior

Allow us to direct the behavior of others

Training our puppyNew puppy grabs my pencil and chews it to bits.I offer dog treat.He drops pencil.Puppy gets idea.Grabs anything in reach and brings it to me.Puppy blackmail.

Measuring motivation

Often wonder if people are really motivated to complete a task.Working hard or hardly working?Set goals for people.How do we know they’re working to reach those goals along the way?Seek outward measure that we can agree upon.

Three measurement categories

Behavior expressions: overtly observable

Physiological measures: polygraph

Self report: ask ‘em

Seven behavior expressions of motivation

Example: send kids out to clear snow

Effort: exertion

big scoops?

Latency: delay before starting

now or “in a little while”?

Choice: chose one thing over another

shoveling or snow men?

Behavior expressions (cont)

Persistence: stay with task

finish job?

Probability of response: take advantage of every opportunity

shovel before you even ask (WOW)

Facial expressions (pleasure or anger)

Bodily gestures (fist or high fives)

Another example: exercising

Effort

Latency

Persistence

Choice

Probability of response

Facial expressions

Bodily gestures

Physiological measures

Measure emotionPolygraphStress responseHeart rate, sweat, respirationIndicate an emotional responseBlood pressure Pupil size

Response of Pupil

Pupil dilates if interested in something or someone

Pupil constricts if you are not.

Lighting conditions must be constant.

Self report

Use surveys to assess motivational and emotion states.

Many instruments available.

Many have not been standardized.

Not diagnostic tests

Self assessments