Spotlight on Terminology and Language – ESL
Pointers
Module 24: Explaining Motivation
Page 303 “An 800-pound boulder dislodged in a
narrow canyon where Ralston was hiking in an
isolated Utah canyon, pinning his lower arm to the
ground.”
Page 304 “As a result of these shortcomings,
newer explanations have replaced conceptions
of motivation based on instincts.”
Shortcomings are deficiencies or flaws. What
were some of the shortcomings of the early
explanations defining motivation?
A boulder is a large rock.
Page 303 “An experienced climber who had
search-and-rescue training, he had ample time to
consider his options.”
Ample means plenty or a more than is needed.
Page 303 “He tried unsuccessfully to chip away at
the rock, and he rigged up ropes and pulleys
around the boulder in a vain effort to move it.”
Page 304 “We usually try to satisfy a primary
drive by reducing the need underlying it.”
Underlying means lying under, or beneath.
To satisfy the primary drive, we would
identify the need that, underlies, or lies
underneath it.
To rig something is to arrange or prepare it.
Page 305 “Self-actualization is a state of selffulfillment in which people realize their
highest potentials, each in his or her own
unique way.”
Page 303 “Finally, out of water and nearly
dehydrated, Ralston reasoned there was only one
option left short of dying.”
In Maslow’s theory, self-actualization is the
individual’s predisposition to try to fulfill his
or her potential.
As person gets dehydrated when they go without
drinking any fluids for a long period of time; they
are extremely thirsty.
Self-fulfillment refers to a feeling of
contentment or happiness because of
something you have done.
Page 303 “In acts of incredible bravery, Ralston
broke two bones in his wrist, applied a
tourniquet, and used a dull pen knife to amputate
his arm beneath the elbow.”
Potential is the inherent ability or capacity for
growth or development.
A tourniquet is a tight bandage that is usually
used to stop severe bleeding.
Dull means not sharp.
Page 303 “Freed from his entrapment, Ralston
climbed down from where he had been pinned,
and then hiked five miles to safety (Ralston, 2004;
Martin, 2006).”
Page 306 “Using feedback loops, homeostasis
brings deviations in body functioning back to
an optimal state, similar to the way a
thermostat and a furnace work in a home
heating system to maintain a steady
temperature.”
To be entrapped is to be restrained or restricted
and not be able to leave; imprisoned somewhere.
Homeostasis is the steady state of
physiological equilibrium. It is the ability of a
cell or an organism to maintain internal
equilibrium by adjusting internal processes.
Page 303 “Ralston, who now has a prosthetic
arm, recovered from his ordeal.”
When things are optimal they are the best
possible.
A prosthetic arm or leg is an artificial body part.
Page 306 “Many fundamental needs, including
the needs for food, water, stable body temperature,
and sleep, operate via homeostasis (Canteras,
2002; Machado, Suchecki, & Tufik, 2005).”
When something is fundamental it is a basic or
essential part.
Page 306 “For instance, some behaviors seem to
be motivated by nothing more than curiosity, such
as rushing to check e-mail messages.”
Curiosity is inquisitiveness or interest or a desire
to know about something.
Page 306 “Both curiosity and thrill-seeking
behavior, then, shed doubt on drive-reduction
approaches as a complete explanation for
motivation.”
When something or someone sheds doubt on
something they are unconvinced or uncertain
about it.
Page 307 “For example, people who participate
in daredevil sports, high-stakes gamblers, and
criminals who pull off high-risk robberies may be
exhibiting a particularly high need for arousal
Zuckerman & Kuhlman, 2000; Zuckerman, 2002;
Cavenett & Nixon, 2006 see Figure 2).”
A daredevil is someone who takes high risks; they
are carefree and have little regard for danger.
A high-stakes gambler is someone who takes
extreme risks while playing cards for money.
Page 307 “When a luscious dessert appears on the
table after a filling meal, its appeal has little or
nothing to do with internal drives or the
maintenance of arousal.”
A luscious desert is one that has a rich, sweet
taste.
Page 307 “Incentive approaches to motivation
suggest that motivation stems from the desire to
obtain valued external goals, or incentives.”
An incentive is something that stimulates. Can
both the fear of punishment and the expectation of
reward be an incentive? What incentives do you
find are the most effective in motivating you
to set time aside for studying?
Page 307 “Although the theory explains why
we may succumb to an incentive (such as a
mouthwatering dessert) even though we lack
internal cues (such as hunger), it does not
provide a complete explanation of motivation,
because organisms sometimes seek to fulfill
needs even when incentives are not apparent.”
When a person succumbs, they yield to an
overwhelming desire or overpowering force.
Page 307 “Consequently, many psychologists
believe that the internal drives proposed by
drive-reduction theory work in tandem with
the external incentives of incentive theory to
‘push’ and ‘pull’ behavior, respectively.”
To work in tandem with one another is to
work in partnership or cooperation
Page 309 “Intrinsic motivation causes us to
participate in an activity for our own
enjoyment rather than for any concrete,
tangible reward that it will bring us.”
Intrinsic motivation is the inner drive that
motivates people in the absence of external
reward or punishment. What are some of your
activities that are intrinsically motivated?
A tangible reward is something able to be
perceived as materially existent. When you
receive money for your efforts, you receive a
tangible reward.
Page 309 “In contrast, extrinsic motivation
causes us to do something for money, a grade,
or some other concrete, tangible reward.”
Extrinsic motivation is the desire to engage
in an activity for money, recognition, or other
tangible benefits. Describe some examples of
how your educational institution helps to
motivate you both intrinsically and
extrinsically.
Page 309 “We are more apt to persevere,
work harder, and produce work of higher
quality when motivation for a task is intrinsic
rather than extrinsic.”
To persevere is to persist, or continue to do
something, typically for a long period of time.
Page 305 “For example, a student who reaches his
academic potential and graduates with honours
while working midnights at an automotive plant to
support his family, a teacher who year after year
creates an environment that maximizes students’
opportunities for success, and an athlete such as
Joannie Rochette who realizes her Olympic dream
all may be self-actualized.
To maximize potential is to increase potential.
Page 309 “Actually, many of the approaches are
complementary, rather than contradictory.”
Complement means something that completes or
brings to perfection, such as the several theories of
motivation are complementary, and provide a
more complete analysis and understanding of
motivation. Be cautious not to confuse this with
“compliment,” which means an expression of
courtesy or praise, such as the professor paid the
entire class a compliment on the quality of the
grades they had earned on the exam.
When you contradict something, you express or
assert the opposite of a statement. A
contradiction is an inconsistency or discrepancy.