EPSY 275: Learning & EPSY 275: Learning & MotivationMotivation

EPSY 275: Learning & EPSY 275: Learning & MotivationMotivation

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MotivationMotivation

Basic Motivational Concepts

• Motivation energizes and directs behavior

• Motivated behavior is goal-directed behavior

• Motivation has qualitative and quantitative properties

• Motivation can only be inferred from behavior

Behavioral Indicators of Motivation

• Choice• Intensity• Persistence

Choice• Goal setting stage of motivation (first

stage)• Decision about which goal to pursue

among available options• Reflects consciously or unconsciously

learner’s priorities• Most informative when unrestrained• Measure of qualitative property

Intensity

• Goal striving stage of motivation (second stage)

• Measure of strength (a quantitative property)

• Logic – the greater the strength of a motive the greater the amount of energy a person will expend to obtain that goal

Persistence• Also refers to goal striving stage• Also a measure of the strength of a motive• Related duration of effort to strength• Logic - the greater the strength of a

motive the greater the duration of time a person will attempt to obtain that goal (particular after experiencing failure or difficulty)

The Expectancy-Value Principle

• Effort = Expectancy X Task Value• Expectancy refers to the strength of person’s

belief that they will achieve the goal• Task Value refers to the relative importance

of the goal given the other available options• People try the hardest and longest to obtain a

goal when they are confident they can obtain it AND they place great value on it

Expectancy for Success

Expectancy forSuccess

EfficacyExpectancy

OutcomeExpectancy

Is the desired outcomelikely to occur in this

situation?

Can I do what it takesto produce the desired

outcome?

Outcomes = Goals• Outcomes result from our actions• Outcomes often confused with actions (i.e.,

my goal is to run 2 miles)• Outcome can be intangible (maybe a

psychological or physical state) resulting from an action (i.e., how I feel after running 2 miles and the endorphins “kick in”) or tangible (prize money won from running)

Three classes of Outcomes (Motivators)

• Positive & negative physical effects

• Positive and negative social effects

• Affective self-reactions

Relationship between Outcome & Efficacy

Expectancies

EfficacyExpectancies

Outcome Expectancies

- +

+ ProtestGrievanceSocial ActivismMilieu Change

Productive EngagementAspirationPersonal satisfaction

- ResignationApathy

Self-devaluationDespondency

Sources of Efficacy Expectancies

• Task accomplishments• Vicarious experiences• Verbal persuasion• Physiological State• Causal analysis

Attribution Theory• Concerned with causal analysis phase of

self-evaluation• Our beliefs about the cause of our

performance in a situation influences our expectancy for future performance in that situation

• Focus on achievement situation - a situation in which a person's performance is compared to some standard

Dimensions of Causality

• Stability• Locus• Controllability

The Stability Dimension

• Causes that are expected to be consistently or regularly operating in the situation are said to be stable

• Causes that are expected to be irregularly or only occasionally operating in the situation are said to be unstable

The Locus Dimension• Causes that originate outside of

the person are said to be external• Causes that originate within the

person are said to be internal

The Controllability Dimension

• Causes that are under the control of the person are said to be controllable

• Causes that are not under the control of the person are said to be uncontrollable

The Process of Causal Analysis

Performance

Evaluation

CausalAnalysis

CognitiveReaction

AffectiveReaction

Possible Outcomes According to Expectancy Principle of Attribution

Theory

Performance

Success Failure

StableCause

StableCause

UnstableCause

UnstableCause

Expectsame

outcomewith

greatercertainty inthe future

Expectsame

outcomewith

greatercertainty inthe future

Maintainhope for the

futureNo change

inexpectancy

Maintainhope for the

futureNo change

inexpectancy