Affiliation & Achievement

Module 4.7b

LEARNING TARGETS:

• Identify the evidence that points to our human affiliation need – need to belong.
• Explain how social networking influences us.
• Describe Achievement Motivation, & identify some ways to encourage achievement.

Affiliation Need

• The Need to Belong
• Belonging and having attachments to others boosts our chances at survival – Evolutionary Theory
• Social Identity – feeling a part of a group (Us vs Them) boosts health & self-esteem
• A large part of people’s self ratings of happiness seem to be determined by having satisfying relationships.

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Quick Video Overview

Competence

• Competence motivation—behavior aimed at demonstrating competence and exerting control in a situation
• Motivated to prove to yourself that you can do a challenging task.
• Competence = Confidence in yourself
• Example: Running a marathon

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Autonomy

• A sense of personal control
• Feeling of being in control of one’s own actions and making choices that align with personal values and interests rather than being pressured by external forces.

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Relatedness

• Our need to feel connected to others.
• Psychological need to feel connected, valued, and understood by others.
• It involves forming meaningful relationships and feeling a sense of belonging in social groups.

Intrinsic Motivation

• A desire to perform a behavior because it is inherently meaningful or satisfying.
• Enhances our feelings of competence, autonomy & relatedness.
• What things are you intrinsically motivated to do?

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Extrinsic Motivation

• A desire to perform a behavior because of promised rewards or threats of punishment
• I do the activity for a good consequence.
• Undermines our sense of competence, autonomy, & relatedness.
• Takes away the intrinsic enjoyment you had for the task.
• Works well for tasks that people don’t find naturally complex or creative. Better to use as a way to signal “job well done”
• What things are you extrinsically motivated to do?

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Ostracism

• Social Exclusion
• Threatens one’s need to belong.
• Increases activity in the pain areas of the brain (anterior, cingulate cortex)
• Social rejection hurts worse in Individualistic cultures because no other social support networks to fall back on.
• People that are ostracized become disagreeable, uncooperative, & hostile which only makes them more ostracized.

Social Networking

• Early studies indicate that high social media usage makes people feel that others’ social lives are more active than their own
• High usage associated with higher risks for depression, self-harm, anxiety.
• When used in moderation though, can help us connect with friends/family.
• Self-disclosure online – sharing our joys & worries can be a healthy coping mechanism
• Promoting ourselves online can feed our narcissistic tendencies.

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Finding Balance & Developing Self-Control

• Monitor your time online – “Is this interfering with my schoolwork or relationships?”
• Monitor your feelings – “Am I emotionally distracted by my online interests?”
• When needed, hide from your online friends who post a lot or take a break from posting – “Is this something I’d care about if someone else posted it?”
• Break the Phone-checking habit – Resist the temptation and be available. Remember your selective attention can only focus on 1 thing!
• Refocus with a nature walk – People learn better after connecting with nature.

Achievement Motivation

• Achievement motivation—behavior aimed at excelling, succeeding, or outperforming others at some activity
• A desire for significant accomplishment
• A desire for the mastery of things, people, or ideas
• A desire for attaining a high standard
• Neo-Freudian, Henry Murray (1893-1988) first established the concept of achievement motivation.
• Used Thematic Apperception Tests to measure it.

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Achievement & Success

• Measures of achievement motivation generally correlate well with various areas of success.
• People who score high in achievement motivation expend their greatest efforts on moderately challenging tasks
• High Achievers tend to display original thinking, seek expert advice, and value feedback about their performance.
• Tend to be more ambitious, energetic, & persistent.
• Self-discipline is more important than intelligence when predicting success in school.
• Grit – passionate dedication to an ambitious long-term goal

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Achievement & Culture

• In individualistic cultures, the need to achieve emphasizes personal, individual success

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• In collectivistic cultures, achievements are viewed as a way of bringing glory to one’s family, group, or country.

Goal Setting

• Make a SMART Goal – Specific, Measurable, achievable, realistic, & timely.
• Announce the goal to family & friends.
• Develop an action plan – concentrate on the small steps to get there.
• Create short-term rewards that support your long-term goals.
• Monitor & record progress
• Create a supportive environment
• Transform the hard-to-do behavior into a must-do habit – repeat it everyday!