Motivation

What is Motivation?

Motivation refers to any sort of general drive or inclination to do something. (Baumeister et al. 2007)

There are two theories that are useful to know if you are trying to overcome procrastination.

• Self Determination Theory

• Temporal Motivation Theory

Self-determination theory

“SDT examines how biological, social, and cultural conditions either enhance or undermine the inherent human capacities for psychological growth, engagement, and wellness, both in general and in specific domains and endeavors.” (Ryan et al. 2017)

SDT gives two useful tools to use

• Types of motivation

• What we need to feel motivated

Types of motivation

SDT provides us with a detailed classification of motivation.

The first step when analysing motivation is to see if it comes from an outside source or from within. Am I doing it to avoid punishment or because I enjoy doing it?

The main types of motivation are:

Intrinsic - comes from within. When we enjoy and value the process itself.

e.g. you study because you enjoy it.

Extrinsic - comes from outside. Controlled by rewards and punishments, approval from others, and the results we want.

e.g. you study because your school demands that you pass.

Amotivation - no drive to perform a certain action.

e.g. you don't study and see no point in it.

SDT proposes that motivations are on the spectrum from control to autonomy.

Motivation is classified according to how much a person does something of their own will or if the person is driven by external influence (eg. rewards, punishments, praise, etc).

According to SDT extrinsic motivation can become intrinsic through internalisation.

As you move from extrinsic motivation to intrinsic motivation a degree to which a person does something of their own free will increases, and the motivations and actions become autonomous or self-determined. As opposed to being externally or internally pushed or compelled to do something. For example, a person might feel coerced by other people or forces to do something they themselves don't want to do. (Ryan et al. 2017)

Extrinsic Motivation Regulation

Extrinsic motivation is classified according to what factors influence it, referred to as regulation.

Intrinsic motivation is influenced by intrinsic regulation.

Extrinsic motivation can be influenced by 4 types of regulation. (Deci et al. 2000)

• External regulation

Motivation to get the desired reward or avoid unwanted punishment.

This kind of motivation reduces intrinsic motivation.

e.g. you study because your school demands that you pass.

• Introjected regulation

The first step of internalisation of external control. We take external control and put it in our minds without too much thought about it. While this type of motivation comes from within it is felt as if it is coming from someone or something else. This motivation comes from guilt, shame, fear of disapproval, and trying to increase your importance, influence, and improve your reputation. While it is more likely to last longer than external motivation, it is still quite unstable.

e.g. you are forcing yourself to study because your parent would not like it if you fail

• Identified regulation

The value of the task is recognised and accepted. It becomes important to the person and they perceive the motivation to perform a task as their own. A person becomes more committed to the task and performs it better. This type of motivation is even more lasting.

e.g. you study because you want to get good grades because they will help you get better opportunities in the future.

• Integrated regulation

The most complete form of internalisation of extrinsic motivation. It is not only accepted but also integrated and brought into harmony with other aspects of a person's values and identity. External forces motivating a person have been fully transformed into self-determined extrinsic motivation.

e.g. you study because it reflects your values, who you are, and who you want to become. (Deci et al. 2000)

Diagram adapted from (Deci et al. 2000)

Motivation NEEDS

SDT states that there are 3 needs that are required for motivation.

When these needs are met, we perceive our actions and choices to be intrinsically motivated, or in other words “self-determined”. (Lumen Learning)

The 3 needs are:

• Autonomy

Doing something of our own free will. It reflects one's own interests and values.

• Competence

Need to feel skilled at what you do, to be effective and masterful.

However, competence is vulnerable. It decreases when challenges are too difficult, when we received too much negative feedback, or when we feel belittled by other people criticising or comparing us to others who are better at something. (Ryan et al. 2017)

• Relatedness

We feel relatedness when other people care for us. It is also about belonging and being a significant member of a social group. We also need to feel that we are contributing to others by doing something useful. (Deci et al. 2000)

While autonomy and competence have been shown to be more important for intrinsic motivation, relatedness still plays an important role in staying intrinsically motivated. (Ryan et al. 2017)

Temporal motivation theory

The most important message from TMT is that motivation is dependent on these 4 factors.(Steel 2007)

• Expectancy

• Value

• Delay

• Sensitivity to delay

Expectancy and value increase our motivation.

Delay and sensitivity to delay decrease our motivation.

• Expectancy

Having a firm belief that you can accomplish the task successfully. This is referred to as Self-efficacy.

• Value

The task is important to us. Seeing value in doing it.

Unpleasant tasks are more likely to be postponed - Task Aversiveness.

• Delay

Is the task enjoyable immediately or it takes time to reap full benefit from it?

How far into the future is the result that we want from the action we are thinking of doing?

If rewards or punishments are too far into the future we get less motivated

• Sensitivity to delay

Our individual differences make us either more or less prone to rewards or punishments being further in the future. Either further worsening the existing delay or allowing us to do the necessary action despite distant rewards.

All of this is summarised in this equation

Motivation=(Expectancy x Value)/(Delay x Sensitivity to delay) (Steel 2007)

Let's look at the following example.

Imagine you need to write an assignment that is due in 3 months.

You can either start working on it now or procrastinate by doing other things such as

watching series, playing games, partying, etc. You can distract yourself with other activities.

The motivation to distract is likely to be higher since the fun you get is almost immediate and it's available now. The reward for submitting and passing your assignment is very far in the future.

As you reach the deadline the delay of the reward of submitting the assignment or the punishment for failing it becomes smaller. As a consequence, the motivation to write the assignment overtakes the motivation to distract.

So to start earlier you need to work on factors that would increase your expectancy and value, and decrease your sensitivity to delay. In this case, the graph would shift to the left - marked in blue color.

Diagram adapted from (Steel 2007).

Goal setting

Goal setting is a crucial skill for overcoming procrastination. It directs our Discipline and nurtures our Motivation.

To set goals correctly you can use a widely known method - SMART Goal Setting.

A goal needs to be

S - Specific. You need to describe the tangible results you will get.

M - Measurable. The must be a way to measure if you have reached your goal as well as if you are getting closer to achieving it.

A - Attainable. The goal must be realistic and attainable. It is useful to think about the results that are under your direct control, the ones that don't require luck and other people's decisions in your favor.

R - Relevant. It needs to be relevant to you, your priorities, and your values.

T- Time restricted. There needs to be a concrete time frame for you to achieve this goal. Otherwise, there is nothing stopping you from eternally delaying it.

Conclusion

Motivation is a complicated subject and it is well worth learning about it in greater detail. The first step to nurturing your motivation is to set goals that resonate with you. They need to reflect your values and what you genuinely want to achieve.

References

Baumeister R., Vohs K. Self-Regulation, Ego Depletion, and Motivation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass 1 (2007): 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00001.x

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. The Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.1521/978.14625/28806

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01

Lumen Learning. Educational psychology. Chapter 6:Student Motivation. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-educationalpsychology/chapter/motivation-as-self-determination/

Steel, P. (2007). The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychological Bulletin, 133(1), 65–94. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.65