Motivation for Learning and Performance

Here I document some of the interesting learning experiences in the workshop by Dr. Bobby Hoffman. The host of the workshop was conducting the workshop based on his book.
Interpretive issues:self awareness, misconceptions, calibrations
The Process: diagnostic model
Influences: culture, development, genetics
Big deal:-self-beliefs
Self-worth:  self-handicapping

Part-2 post-lunch session: Strategies: context-based solutions
Implementations: overcoming them

Research findings:
1.     Giving people rewards or recognition usually enhances performances: False
2.     difficult task decreases motivation:False
3.     Effort is more important than expertise when it comes to performance excellence:True
4.     Nervousness is a part of the learning process:False
5.     helping others who struggle academically is always the right thing to do:FALSE, it is usually the wrong thing to do
6.     Motivational qualities are hereditary/genetic: TRUE
7.     who focus on learning earn higher grades get higher grades than those focused on grades:False
8.     bodily reaction are unmotivated. The emotions cannot be disguised:TRUE
9.     Generally people are only interested in things than they do well:FALSE
10.  Group learning based upon same-ability enhances achievements:FALSE

What is motivation
Degree of effort and intensity directed toward a goal related to learning or performance

Big Challenges

• Everyone thinks they know psychology
• We are poorly calibrated, they think they know everything, poor calibration
• We have poor self-awareness
• We have confirmation bias
• We reach spurious conclusions
• We focus on behaviors and not causes

Watercooler Misconceptions

• -What is your motivational type
• -you are unmotivated
• -all men are created equal
• -one is an introvert, it depends on the environment, surrounding
• -you are either extrinsically or intrinsically motivated, the motivation is transitory and changes with time
• -motivation is not personality, personality is stable and consistent for a person
• -I am objective and unbiased

 
Cultural differences:
Determines the level of motivation depending on the cultural background of a person

Developmental differences:
-motivation has a developmental trajectory
-we undergo cognitive, social, moral and emotional change
-where are emotionally, or morally is not based on an individual's age
-society has difference expectations of us based upon age and gender

Biological and other influences on motivation
1.     about 70% of anxiety can be attributed to genetics
2.     sociability:64%
3.     dominance:60%
4.     emotionality:54%
5.     task orientation:50%
6.     control:44%
7.     aggression:40%

Please consider the importance of environment that determine when the qualities are switched on or off.
Self-beliefs rule motivation.

BIG 5 BELIEFS
-control: that something else might control our destiny
-competency:this is the belief that we can do something to bring about a change about themselves
-value: what is it that one gets by being motivated to do a thing
-goal orientation: whats the goal that shall be achieved by being motivated. Is it a learning goal or a performance goal
-epistemology: belief about the nature of knowledge
-Emotions override everything, they can hijack motivation
-Context determines the motivation, who is in the room.
-task-contingent motivation: are we interested in tasks that we do well, or do we do well on tasks that interest us?
-self-beliefs are most important in determining the levels of motivation. How you think about your self determines your level of motivation


Who is behind the curtain? AKA reasons for your behavior
-fixed or external locus
-perceived degree of control
-degree of confidence
-importance of rewards
-need for recognition
-appearing competent
looking good in relation to others
-degree of sociability


Overview of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation

intrinsic: individuals possess a predisposition to engage in the pursuit of knowledge and seek opportunities to demonstrate competence. Individuals gain pleasure and satisfaction merely from the process of reaching a learning or performance target. No reward expectation.

extrinsic motivation:
-avoidance of negative outcomes  also an extrinsic motivator

Extrinsic motivation has a bad reputation
-as it shifts focus to the outcome
-it does not always work
-its temporary
-it changes "what happens when you give one monkey cucumbers but grapes for another monkey"
-its bad for learning
-its best for boring or repetitive tasks or to spark interest
-such an extrinsic motivation has to be always based on performance.


CERTAIN BEHAVIORS LEAD TO DESIRED BEHAVIORS
 -focus on excellence
-desire to improve
-willingness to accept challenges
-exertion of effort
-consideration of alternative strategies
-setting stretch goals
-perseverance in the face of obstacles
-black and blue marks and gray hair (sage wisdom)


OTHER BELIEFS LEAD TO UNDESIRED BEHAVIORS SUCH AS
-avoiding work
-taking the easy way out
-not persisting in the face of obstacles
-using shallow processing strategies
-self-handicapping
-negative self-perceptions
-learned helplessness
-unhappiness


SELF-PROTECTION BY INDIVIDUALS
-the realization of who we are can be frightening
-nothing is worse than admitting you suck
-to reduce anxiety and negative emotion we self-protect
-cover oneself in the conceptual duck tape
-avoid the target
-filter out critical information and feedback
-become anxious, nervous, obsessive, or depressed


SOME-HANDICAPPING STRATEGIES
these are the reasons that are used by individual to mask one selves to cover ones failures,

-procrastination: people procrastinate as it serves them as a reason to defend their possible failure. Additionally, procrastination is a redefinition of failure.

-it is a research fact that working under pressure does NOT produce better results. It is better to divide the work and do it piece by piece rather than doing a big chunk of work at a stretch.
-setting slam-dunk (very easy) goals
-setting unobtainable goals
-defensive pessimism: getting into certain situations that leads to failure and then reasoning that the situation led them to failure.
-academic wooden legs: using one specific aspects of ones background to explain the fail outcome.
-low expectation


EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES INCLUDE....
-use the right strategy at the right time, for the right reason
-focus on self-regulation and what individuals believe is within their control
-goal setting
-self-talk
-self consecrating
-generating interest
-reflection
-feedback from within and from outside, it could be qualitative or quantitative
-set attainable targets
-gradual shift the responsibility for external to internal sources.
-strategy analysis "what worked when you were successful?"


MEDIATION AND INTERVENTION
People respond to change efforts in many ways:
-ignore
-reject
-exclude
-hold in abeyance
-reinterpret and maintain existing theory
-reinterpret and revise existing theory
-accept alternative approach and change

RIGHT MEDICINE, WRONG TIME
The 5 step plan to create and sustain motivational change
-promote awareness
-identify plausible alternatives
-present refutation evidence
-create relevance
-provide scaffolding