Motivation: Maslow’s Hierarchy Attribution Theory

1. Motivation: Maslow’s Hierarchy Attribution Theory

2. Maslow’s Hierarchy • Levels of “needs” • Lower levels must be satisfied before upper levels

3. Maslow claimed that humans tend toward good and harmony • Violence, greed, evil, etc. result when needs are not met (are thwarted)

4. Modified Maslow’s

5. Needs are prepotent • People differ with respect to the “need” that currently must be satisfied • People become “stuck” in attempting to satisfy a need • When a need is satisfied, a higher need emerges

6. Satisfying Levels Examples in use: • You can't motivate someone to improve their oral-group communication (level 4 - related to esteem) when they're having problems socializing with the members of the class (level 3 - belonging). • You can't expect someone to work as a team member (level 3 - belonging) when they're having family troubles at home (level 2 - safety). • You can’t expect a 6th grader to embrace cognitive needs (level 5) if indeed the child is suffering from a deficiency in the lower-level needs.

7. Connecting Maslow’s to Erikson? • Is there a similarity? How so?

9. Educational Implicationsof Maslow • How can teachers build or foster: • Safety (physical and psychological) • Belonging & Love • Esteem • Cognitive Interest

10. Attribute Analysis • Attribution - • The explanation of the cause of an event • Attribution Theory • A systematic way of understanding how people interpret their experiences and how these interpretations affect their task-specific beliefs.

11. Dimensions of Attributions • Locus - the perception of responsibility • Internal Locus - the student believes that he/she is responsible for the outcome • External Locus - the student believes that someone (or something else) is responsible.

12. Dimensions of Attributions Stability - Perception of the cause’s constancy over time • Stable • Attributing the cause to factors that won’t change anytime soon. • Unstable • factors that can change from one time to the next

13. Dimensions of Attributions Controllability - the perception of degree of control over situation

14. Attribution Analysis Analyze each of these for Locus, Stability, and Controllability

15. Attribution Analysis

16. Attribution + Maslow’s ? Question: How can we apply Maslow’s Hierarchy to diagnosing these quotes? What does this analysis suggest for you as a teacher?

17. Attribute Analysis & Maslow’s Hierachy • (handout) & discussion • Student Teaching Scenario

18. What dimensions should we encouragewhen students attribute in relation to failure? • Internal or External? • Unstable or Stable? • Controllable or Uncontrollable?

19. What dimensions should we encourage? • Internal • Unstable (depending) • Controllable

20. Consider the Differences - Teacher Responses: • In response to success: • “You did it! You’re so smart!” • “Terrific! This is certainly your lucky day!” • That’s wonderful! Your hard work has paid off!” • In response to failure: • “Maybe you’re just having a bad day.” • “Why don’t you practice a little more and then try again?” • “Hmmm. Maybe this is just something you are not good at. Perhaps we should try a different activity.” • Note the different attributions these responses imply (despite their intending to make the student “feel good”. Which are controllable? Uncontrollable? External/Internal? Etc.

21. Optional • Perhaps show Merril Lesson, “Author’s Chair” for example of indicating effort and Internal Control.