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Week 2: Motivation – The Big Theories

9/12/13

Question of the day: What do you think motivates our new dean (or anyone else for that matter) to run marathons?

• Intrinsic motivation • Expectancy value theory• Identity and In-group membership• Personal Agency • Delayed gratification• Goal and reward

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ReviewDevelop a frame for the course that is useful

for you We are all intuitive scientists trying make

sense out of the social world around us (tasks & tools)◦Sometimes we do a pretty bad job of things◦Should improve by borrowing from research

scientists Actual tools (e.g., field experiments) Habits of mind

Inductive approach to a theory of motivation

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Where we are & where we are going

Motivation◦Overarching theories/Key components◦Paradoxes & special issues

Person perceptionInterpersonal relationships

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Game-plan & goals for todayRecipe assignmentsMotivational mappingMotivational theoriesReading tips (Harackiewicz et al.)

Take away (at least) 2 new ideas about how to motivate:◦Yourself◦A population of learners you care about

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Recipes Goals:

◦ Review concept of interest in the unit◦ Apply it to an educational setting of interest for you

Write-up = accessible to others◦ Explain the concept◦ Explain the activity◦ Explain why it should work◦ Limitations?

Final publication◦ Revise one ◦ Post on http://isites.harvard.edu/k12519

Lesson plan options◦ Substitute for 2 recipes◦ Add in video tape = substitute for 3 recipes◦ Due 11:59 pm on 9/26

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Motivational mappingPairsCompare our class-wide theory of motivation (or

components anyway) to the theories just coveredList from last week is on the board (feel free to

use your own notes if they are better)3 questions after each theory◦Litmus test: Can you come up with an example (e.g.,

a motivated activity) that doesn’t fit the theory?◦What does our list cover that the theory misses?◦What does our list miss that the theory covers?

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Our ingredients of motivationHaving a goal(s)(ceasing behaviors)�Unconditional acceptance (safety net) contributing to �

a belief in self and self-perceived capability (doable/healthy challenge)

Accountability�Relevance, perceived purpose/reason or meaning�Value (social, survival, personal, monetary etc.)�Personal investment (ownership, agency/control/�autonomy)Desirable payoff/attainment/gain (intrinsic or�extrinsic)

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Highly motivating goals of the day

Understand major motivation theories:◦Attribution theory Expectancy-value theory◦Goal theory◦Self-determination theory (Self-efficacy

theory)◦Ford’s theory

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Attribution Theory Dimensions of attributions

◦ Internal – external◦ Stable – unstable◦ Global – local◦ Controllable – uncontrollable

Specific attributions◦ luck◦ task difficulty◦ ability◦ effort

Apply to student work: are students making these attributions in reference to their own work and in what ways?

Relationship between ability and effort: varies by the type of attributions people make.

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Expectancy-value theoryEcclesMotivation as…◦Expectancies for success on a task◦Valuing of that task

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Eccles: Expectancies & Value

Can I do this task?What attributions have I made about similar

previous tasks in the past?Internal/external; stable/unstable; global/local

Effort – a key outcome of these attributions◦mastery vs. helpless patterns

◦Precis of Dweck’s theory: Incremental view of intelligence (can be developed and built with practice) vs. Entity view of intelligence (you have what you have) See:

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Eccles: Expectancies & ValueDo I want to do this task (& why)? ◦Intrinsic value: I just like doing it◦Attainment value: summiting Everest feels

like an accomplishment◦Utility value: means to helping me get to some

other end.◦Cost: is the pain that I experience sufficiently

detracting that these other factors are canceled out?

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Motivational mapping3 questions after each theory◦Litmus test: Can you come up with an

example (e.g., a motivated activity) that doesn’t fit the theory?

◦What does our list cover that the theory misses?

◦What does our list miss that the theory covers?

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Types of goals i.e., “orientations”

Mastery goals – trying to develop ability, improve over time, effort

Performance goals – trying to demonstrate ability, show others you are smart, avoid looking stupid

Type of goal

Mastery Performance

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C. AmesMotivational

climate◦ Personal

goals◦Classroom

goal structures

Type of goal

Mastery Performance

Goal locus Personal PM PP

Classroom CM CP

Is it possible to be high on both mastery and performance goals**?

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The universe of possibilities

Type of goal

Mastery Performance

Hi Lo Hi Lo

Goal locus Personal HiPM LoPM HiPP LoPP

Classroom HiCM LoCM HiCP LoCP

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While we’re talking explicitly about goals… other types of goals of note…

Approach/avoidanceImplicit/explicitCooperative(I do better, you do

better)/competitive(I do better, you do worse)/individualistic(I do better, but it is not related to how you do)**

Social goals

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Motivational mapping3 questions after each theory◦Litmus test: Can you come up with an

example (e.g., a motivated activity) that doesn’t fit the theory?

◦What does our list cover that the theory misses?

◦What does our list miss that the theory covers?

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Self-determination theoryRyan & Deci: Self-determination theory◦Autonomy◦Belonging/Relatedness◦Competence

Key themes: intrinsic extrinsic

◦Choice

internalization

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Intrinsic vs. internalized motivation

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Undermining Intrinsic Motivation

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Self-efficacy: domain specificBeliefs about ability to produce effectsConfidence/expectancies for success/personal

agency beliefs/exercise of controlBasis: personal ability & environmental

affordancesAlbert Bandura: where does efficacy come from?◦ Past performances (esp. on related tasks)◦ Social modeling (if people like me can succeed, I can

too)◦ Persuasion (possible, but slightly weaker mechanism)◦ Physiological cues (positive butterflies vs. pit in the

stomach feeling)

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Motivational mapping3 questions after each theory◦Litmus test: Can you come up with an

example (e.g., a motivated activity) that doesn’t fit the theory?

◦What does our list cover that the theory misses?

◦What does our list miss that the theory covers?

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Ford’s theoryMartin Ford (1992)Motivation = goals x emotions x personal

agency beliefsAch. = (mot. x skill) x responsive env.

biology

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Ford: goals x emotion x PABGoal hierarchy (dynamic, shifts over

time)**Goal alignment (or conflict)

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Ford: goals x emotion x PAB

Emotions:

1. provide extra information beyond cognitions (and to aid cognition)

2. provide an energizing function◦ Interest◦ Anger◦ Pleasure

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Ford: goals x emotion x PABPersonal capability beliefs: Can I do this

task?Context beliefs: Will the environment

allow me to do this task?

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Motivational mapping3 questions after each theory◦Litmus test: Can you come up with an

example (e.g., a motivated activity) that doesn’t fit the theory?

◦What does our list cover that the theory misses?

◦What does our list miss that the theory covers?

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Develop a motivational tweak… on yourselves!

Groups of 3 – each person gets 10 minutes to get as far as they can

Each person proffers up a domain in which they would like to be more motivated & describes the situation

All group members think of a motivational recommendation Each person describes intervention (the person who presents the

original dilemma goes last). In describing the intervention, you must note:◦ Which theory of motivation your intervention leverages◦ Which component of motivation you leverage◦ Why you think it will work◦ Where is the weakest link i.e., if it doesn’t work it is probably because

of ______ At the end 5 minutes to think about how certain interventions

could be generalized/adapted to educational settings of interest

Reporting out: 1 illustration of the motivational conundrum & the resolution AND the generalization to and educational context of interest

Themes from the dayFamiliarity with major theories of

motivation 2 new ideas about how to motivate selves2 new ideas about how to motivate

learners

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For next time – readings

Readings: 2 intervention studies – why do they work? Why don’t they work for all students?◦Delay of gratification – is this motivation? In what

way? How would we think about it in terms of big theories?

◦3 recepies◦Iyengar video (reading = only for overachievers!)

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Autonomy

Go back *

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Extrinsic motivation

Go back *

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Goal Hierarchies

Go back *

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Mastery or Performance?

Go Back

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