Motivation for Learning and Performance

Bobby Hoffman

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9780128007792
• eBook ISBN: 9780128011256
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Cognitive Psychology & Cognition
• Index: Psychology

Designed for educators, researchers, practitioners, or anyone interested in maximizing human potential, Motivation for Learning and Performance outlines 50 key motivation principles based on the latest scientific evidence from the disciplines of psychology, education, business, athletics, and neurology. Using a highly applied and conversational style, the book is designed to inform the reader about how to diagnosis, analyze, and mediate learning and performance challenges influenced by motivation. The book features chapters on the biopsychology of motivation, how motivation changes across the lifespan, and the important influence of culture on motivated behavior. Three chapters are devoted to practical strategies and the implementation of motivational change. Special sections are included on enhancing motivation at work, in the classroom, in competitive environments, and during online education. Hoffman employs the innovative approach of using his interviews with "real" people including many notable personalities across diverse cultures and disciplines to illustrate motivated behavior. For example, readers will learn what motivated the colossal investment fraud masterminded by Bernie Madoff, the intimate thoughts of former NFL superstar Nick Lowery when he missed a field goal, and the joys and tribulations of Emmy-nominated "Curb your Enthusiasm" actress Cheryl Hines. The book provides a practical, applied, and multi-disciplinary resource for anyone interested in motivation and performance, but especially for university students at the graduate or undergraduate level studying education, psychology, business, leadership, hospitality, sports management, or military science. Additionally, the writing style and eclectic nature of the text will appeal to readers of non-fiction who can use the book to gain self-awareness to enhance performance of themselves or others. - Considers motivation for both learning and performance - Identifies 50 foundational principles relating to motivation - Provides research evidence supporting the foundational principles - Includes interviews from famous individuals, identifying what motivated them and why - Includes research from psychology, education, neuroscience, business, and sports

Part I

The framework of human motivation

Outline

1 Underpinnings: Five foundational doctrines of motivational science

2 Contentious issues: How evidence refutes motivational misconceptions

3 The biopsychology of motivation: Using evidence from neurology and endocrinology to understand motivated behavior

4 Ch, ch, changes: The developmental trajectory of motivation

5 A rose by any other name: The influence of culture on motivated behavior

1

Underpinnings

Five foundational doctrines of motivational science

This chapter introduces the reader to the humanistic orientation and profile approach used to study motivated behavior throughout the text. First, three personal vignettes are presented to behaviorally illustrate several important concepts related to motivation. Next, readers will uncover five foundational principles that define how motivation is described and expressed. Some common misconceptions about motivation are revealed and clarified. Additionally, the chapter illuminates one of the major themes of the text: self-awareness. The chapter concludes with the completion of a self-assessment designed to determine the reader’s overall knowledge of motivation and specifically assess some of the principles covered later in the text.

Keywords

Self-awareness; case studies; inequality; beliefs; motives

Chapter outline

Introduction 3

Principle #1—Motivational inequality is a measurable reality 6

Principle #2—Motivation can be defined, but not universally 8

Principle #3—There is no such thing as being unmotivated 9

Principle #4—Behavior≠motivation, and there are no “motivational” types 11

Principle #5—Individuals may not recognize or understand their own motives 12

Chapter summary/conclusions 14

Assess your basic knowledge 15

Next steps 16

End of chapter motivational minute 16

References 17

Introduction

The morning of September 1, 2012, was a typical weekend day, for me. I had little interest in doing work, few deadlines approaching, and some time to kill. I quickly realized the timing was perfect to reach one of my personal goals, completing a 50-mile bicycle ride. This goal would be a major milestone for me, something I had never attempted, and an accomplishment I could brag about to my family, friends, and co-workers. After all, at least judging by social media standards, many people like to broadcast their accomplishments, right?

I was committed to reaching my goal. Without reservation, I loaded my backpack with food, energy drinks, and a second shirt to deal with the searing 90-degree heat and humidity of the Florida noon-day sun. Although I had been biking regularly for 8 months, I had a good deal of skepticism, considering my declining 56-year-old body. Did I have the stamina and endurance to complete 50 miles? Could I finish early enough to avoid the inevitable afternoon thundershowers? What streets should I take, and how could I avoid as much traffic as possible? I consciously planned my route, well aware of when I would need to rest and how long it would take me to finish. Most importantly, I thought about how I would motivate myself to continue cycling when swarms of insects flew in my face and mouth, or when my legs started to burn from the heat and exhaustion.

I never found out if I could pedal the entire 50 miles. While waiting for the incessant traffic to abate at mile 34, my motivation changed. The traffic light signaled green, and I pushed off the curb into the crosswalk. According to police records, four seconds later, I was thrown onto the road, screaming in agony, when a reckless driver plowed into my bicycle at 40 miles per hour. First, I was hurled onto the hood of the car, and then my helmet-protected head slammed into the windshield, causing the glass to shatter. I was then propelled into the air and plummeted to the hot asphalt. At that moment, I was only motivated to survive.

In what seemed like seconds, the ambulance arrived. I was immobilized and rushed to the trauma center, blood dripping down my face from the deep lacerations on my forehead. Upon arrival at the hospital, radiology determined I had nine broken bones: left clavicle, six ribs, right hip, and left scapula. Immediate surgery was necessary to repair and plate my shattered clavicle, the most frequently broken bone in bicycle accidents. That was when the really bad news arrived: doctors informed me that I would be in the hospital for several weeks and confined to a wheelchair for at least 3 months. The assurance of a full recovery was doubtful. The intravenous morphine was insufficient to ease the pain from my massive injuries or to keep me from obsessing about how horrible my life had suddenly become.

The passing weeks were filled with mental anguish, erratic rest, night fevers, and abdominal shots to thwart the blood clots that might kill me. I was immobilized for over a week. The only seemingly normal aspect of my existence was my mind, groggy but still working like before. As a professor of educational psychology at a major university, I was scheduled to teach three online courses that semester. I also decided that studying Italian was a brilliant idea in preparation for an eventual trip abroad. How could I continue under the circumstances of my injuries? How would my potential absence affect my students? I thought deeply about my circumstances and decided to continue teaching and elected not to use my accident as an excuse to drop my Italian class. I was committed to living up to my responsibilities despite the constant reminders of pain and agony that still linger to this very day. I never did miss a day of work and earned an “A” in my Italian class.

The story you just read is true and illustrates many points that will be covered in this book. You may not have noticed, but my story was about setting goals, picking strategies, contemplating alternatives, and reflecting on accomplishment. This book is not about me, though; this book is about you. It will take you on a journey of self-exploration, revealing what motivates both you and others. You will gain a deep understanding of the principles of motivation, all substantiated by empirical scientific evidence. Through a series of candid interviews and stories like the one you just read, you will learn about the motives, reasoning, and behaviors of driven, motivated individuals. Some will be recognized, others just names without a face. You will read about how these leaders determined their goals, executed strategies, and achieved results. You will learn why some individuals prosper and some fail. You will understand why some people persevere through obstacles, while others simply give up. Decision making and choice will be analyzed to explain why the rest of the world may think and act differently from the way you do. Most importantly, by studying the principles in this book, you will become a motivational detective (MD), motivationally wise and strategically gifted with the ability to diagnose, analyze, and influence the motivational challenges that you will invariably encounter during your daily journey through life.

First, you should read the story of Ginny and Jerry, two fraternal twins raised together in the same 1980s suburban New York home by the same nurturing parents. As children, the twins were inseparable: They attended the same schools, went to the same summer camps, and always shared the same circle of friends. Their father, Mel, provided well for his family, commuting 50 miles a day while working long hours as a licensed NYC accountant. Rose, a stay-at-home mom, ruled the house with an iron hand. Rose made sure that Ginny and Jerry had a predictable routine. The twins always made their beds immediately upon waking, and if they were not at the table precisely by 7:00 AM, there would be no breakfast for them that day. Homework had to be completed before meeting friends or playing board games with each other, the twins’ favorite childhood pastime. Both children had obligatory chores: Ginny walked the family dog Leary, while Jerry was always taking out the trash or bundling old newspapers for the local paper drive. Both worked before they were teens. Ginny was a babysitter because she loved children, and aspiring entrepreneur Jerry ran a paper route, delivering newspapers, before he was barely 12 years old. Now adults, Ginny and Jerry are barely recognizable as siblings and are radically different individuals. Each twin possesses a unique approach to life that belies genetic similarities. Many people who know the twins don’t even realize the familial connection because they look, act, and navigate life so differently. The explicit differences between these adult fraternal twins serve as an ideal depiction of one of the first principles you will learn to unravel the mysteries of motivation: motivational inequality.

Ginny’s story

As a teen, Ginny was carefree, perpetually focused on having fun, often at the expense of her schoolwork. She frequently skipped school to go the beach or just hang out with her friends, usually as the center of everyone’s attention. Her mother was often found nervously pacing the kitchen floor whenever teenage “Gin-Gin” went out for the night. Over the years, Mrs. T had her fair share of phone calls from neighbors and visits to the principal’s office to coax her adventurous daughter out of trouble. Ginny was always considered bright, but she had a proclivity for finding trouble and was suspended from high school at least three times. Her beauty was magnetic and few adolescent boys could resist her charismatic charm. Married three times before she turned 30, Ginny was unpredictable and impulsive, jumping at any opportunity to travel or to show off her sensitive, but mischievous side. Eventually, Ginny became a devoted mother but had few close friends, avoiding contact with many of those from her past.

Ginny was a resounding success professionally despite lacking a college degree. Once she put her mind to something, Ginny was unstoppable. Supporting herself for many years, Ginny parlayed her love of music into a career in the recording industry. She managed her own studio, producing recordings for some of the top names in rock and roll, such as Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame and Sting from the Police. Her spontaneous and robust attitude allowed her to meet new people from all occupations, something she really enjoyed. Now retired, Ginny spends her days reading and enjoying her New England estate during the summer, while spending winters in the Caribbean on the yacht she was awarded from her second divorce.

Jerry’s story

Jerry’s idea of a good time was radically different from that of his sister. As a child he was always outside. The season or the reason didn’t matter; energetic and gregarious, Jerry was always found carrying a football or basketball, even when he went to bed. A straight “A” student, Jerry loved science and math and dreamed of becoming an astronaut. He insisted his room have posters of the planets on the ceiling and a table of the elements on his wall. A record-setting athlete, Jerry was a high school track star holding records that remained for 30 years. A qualifier for the US Olympic team in swimming, Jerry’s athletic career was cut short by a knee injury sustained in an auto accident when he was 17. He rarely dated, instead preferring to associate with a small group of close friends. Thirty-five years later, he is still married to his high-school sweetheart, Patti.

Jerry’s professional accomplishments are a model of thoughtful planning and stability. In college, he earned two degrees as a double major, one in science and another in engineering. He worked for the same company for over 20 years, being promoted three times and twice winning the coveted “Manager of the Year” award for mentoring junior employees. In his spare time, he volunteered to coach Little League and was frequently team leader, raising funds for the Boy Scouts or his local church. Jerry spent most of his free time entertaining old friends or doing yard work. He recently added a new deck to his house and has remodeled three bathrooms, all on his own. When Jerry was asked to describe his greatest accomplishment, he quickly replied “raising my three boys.” Jerry has no plans to retire and is currently contemplating a return to school to study theology. Jerry hopes to be a minister one day because making a difference for the people in his community is one of his highest priorities.

Principle #1—Motivational inequality is a me...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Part I: The framework of human motivation
• Part II: The powerful role of individual differences and self-beliefs
• Part III: Mediation and implementation strategies to promote optimal learning and performance
• Appendix. Measuring motivation
• Index