Achievement Motivation

-A desire for significant accomplishments with high standards of excellence

Some people have high levels of achievement motivation and some have low levels

Motive for Success

• People who have LOW need for achievement prefer very easy tasks.

• People with HIGH need for achievement prefer moderately difficult tasks.

•Failure is not embarrassing.

•Success is important.

Why are some people highly motivated, while others are not?

•Children may learn to associate achievement with expectations (intrinsic or extrinsic).

•May be set in place by early in life by parents and teachers.

Strong argument for what playing a part in achievement

motivation?Nurture

Achievement Motivation Achievement Motivation and and

Motivating People to PerformMotivating People to Perform

Psychologists often study the Psychologists often study the work world and school work world and school

environment to look at how we environment to look at how we can use AM to increase can use AM to increase

performance in school and the performance in school and the workplaceworkplace

Industrial and Organizational Psychology

• Field of Psychology that helps Field of Psychology that helps companies companies increase productivity

The psychologist will look at managers, etc. to see how they treat the people under them.

The managers are then placed into one of two different motivational styles

Theory X or Theory Y

Theory X• Assumes that students and

workers are basically lazy, error-prone and must never be trusted

•To work more, they must be given money or rewards

• Extrinsically motivated

Theory Y

• Assumes that students and workers are motivated intrinsically

• Must be given freedom and autonomy

Which would you rather work for?Which would you rather work for?

• 2 minute partner discussion2 minute partner discussion

Final thoughts on Motivation

• What happens when motives conflict?

• Psychologists discuss four types of motivational conflicts.

Approach – Approach Approach – Approach ConflictConflict

Occurs when you must choose between Occurs when you must choose between two two desirable outcomes.desirable outcomes.

On Friday night, should you go to the movies On Friday night, should you go to the movies with your best friend or to dinner with that really with your best friend or to dinner with that really cute guy/girl from history class. cute guy/girl from history class.

Assuming both choices appeal to you, you have a Assuming both choices appeal to you, you have a conflict because you can only chose oneconflict because you can only chose one

Avoidance – Avoidance Avoidance – Avoidance ConflictConflict

Occurs when you must choose between Occurs when you must choose between two two unattractive outcomesunattractive outcomes

If your parents tell you to clean your room or to If your parents tell you to clean your room or to rake leaves and you desire neither one you are rake leaves and you desire neither one you are experiencing an avoidance-avoidance conflict.experiencing an avoidance-avoidance conflict.

““Damned if you do and damned if you don’t”Damned if you do and damned if you don’t”

Approach – Avoidance Conflict

• Exists when ONE event or goal has both attractive and unattractive features

• Let’s say that you love Taco Bell but the beans give you gas.

• Taco Bell has both attractiveattractive (tastes goood) and unattractive unattractive (bad gas) features

Multiple Approach-Avoidance Multiple Approach-Avoidance ConflictsConflicts

Here you must choose between two or more things, each Here you must choose between two or more things, each of which as both desirable and undesirable features.of which as both desirable and undesirable features.

The best example is choosing a college that you want to The best example is choosing a college that you want to go to.go to.

Obviously you are deciding between JMU and VT.Obviously you are deciding between JMU and VT.

JMU has better parties and food JMU has better parties and food (attractive),(attractive), but their but their parking is bad parking is bad (unattractive).(unattractive). VT has a good ROTC VT has a good ROTC (attractive),(attractive), but ugly colors, bad football team and bad but ugly colors, bad football team and bad parties. parties. (unattractive)(unattractive)

Brian hates studying but he doesn’t want to Brian hates studying but he doesn’t want to face his parents if he flunksface his parents if he flunks Avoidance-AvoidanceAvoidance-Avoidance

Tina cant decide which of her two favorite Tina cant decide which of her two favorite courses to study first – Psychology or Englishcourses to study first – Psychology or English Approach-ApproachApproach-Approach

Sharon loves rich high-calorie desserts but Sharon loves rich high-calorie desserts but doesn’t want to put on weight.doesn’t want to put on weight. Approach-AvoidanceApproach-Avoidance

Rosalie wants to be more assertive about her Rosalie wants to be more assertive about her own beliefs with her boyfriend but is afraid of own beliefs with her boyfriend but is afraid of losing him.losing him. Approach-AvoidanceApproach-Avoidance

Tim doesn’t want to be dropped from the football team, Tim doesn’t want to be dropped from the football team, but he doesn’t want to give up smoking either.but he doesn’t want to give up smoking either. Avoidance-AvoidanceAvoidance-Avoidance