Week 10: Motivation

Think about what motivates you to complete daily tasks and reach life-long goals. Your motives for tasks such as taking out the trash or paying your taxes are probably very different from those related to securing your “dream job” or fulfilling a childhood dream of learning to play the piano. For example, you might be motivated to pay taxes due to fear of being audited, fined, or imprisoned. Conversely, you might be motivated to secure your “dream job” because you believe it will give you a greater purpose in life or because it comes with a higher salary. As illustrated in these examples, motivation can be extrinsic, arising to avoid punishment or gain a reward, or intrinsic, arising from genuine interest in an activity or the pursuit of personal fulfillment. This week, you will explore different theories and types of motivation and consider your own motivations for pursuing a graduate degree. You will also submit your Final Project, which is due on Day 7 of this week. In addition, you will continue to populate the Psychology Theories Template, which is due at the end of Week 11.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze motivational factors behind human actions and behaviors
• Evaluate key concepts of motivation theories
• Evaluate theories of psychology

 Describe motivational factors that led you to enroll at Walden and that keep you enrolled. Then explain how these motivational factors might change as you progress from your first days at Walden to your first or second year. Finally, identify at least one intrinsic and one extrinsic motivation that could help keep you motivated to complete your degree. Be sure to address what role culture plays in your motivation to complete your degree,

Required Readings

Brown, D. L., Rosnick, C. B., & Segrist, D. J. (2017). Internalized racial oppression and higher education values. Journal of Black Psychology, 43(4), 358–380. doi:10.1177/0095798416641865

D’Souza, J., & Guerin, M. (2016). The universal significance of Maslow’s concept of self-actualization. Humanistic Psychologist, 44(2), 210–214. doi:10.1037/hum0000027

Karaman, M. A., & Watson, J. C. (2017). Examining associations among achievement motivation, locus of control, academic stress, and life satisfaction: A comparison of US and international undergraduate students. Personality and Individual Differences, 111, 106–110.

Kumar, R. (2016). Motivation and culture. In H. L. Miller (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of theory in psychology (pp. 573–576). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications

Nguyen, T. (2016). Intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation. In H. L. Miller (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of theory in psychology (pp. 475-478). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L., (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, 54–67. doi:10.1006/ceps.1999.1020

Document: Final Project Overview (PDF)

Document: Psychology Theories Template (Excel Spreadsheet)

Optional Resources

Moss, D. (2001). The roots and genealogy of humanistic psychology. In K. J. SchneiderJ. F. Bugental & J. F. Pierson The handbook of humanistic psychology: Leading edges in theory, research, and practice (pp. 5-20). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.