Week 6 Assignment: Prepare an Interview on Emotions and Motivation

Activity Description

For this task, imagine that you are a psychologist that is being interviewed for a 10-minute radio broadcast. You are being interviewed about how motivation and emotion influence academic achievement, and how negative motions (such as shame and guilt) motivate behavior change. Write 10-15 questions that the interviewer would ask you, and then write your response. Develop your paper as a transcript for a question and answer format.

Length: 3 pages

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards.

Why do we do what we do? Theories of motivation attempt to explain this with some theories that focus on biological needs such as hunger or thirst, whereas other theories focus on “higher-order” needs such as the need for achievement, love, and affiliation with others. Cognitive-dissonance theories can also explain an aspect of the motivational process.

You may remember learning about theories of cognitive dissonance in your other psychology classes. Researchers explain that cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable cognitive state produced when people hold conflicting views. People are motivated to reduce this uncomfortable dissonance state by changing the conflicting cognition. For example, consider the case of someone who smokes cigarettes but also knows that this behavior is unhealthy. The dissonance could be reduced by quitting smoking but most likely, the person will change the cognition; for instance, the individual may downplay the health risks because he or she exercises and eats healthy foods. The research you will read this week focuses on the role of emotions in motivating behavior.

This week, you will prepare a paper that discusses how motivation and emotions influence academic behavior and how negative emotions can motivate behavior change.

Be sure to review this week’s resources carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.