You Say To May Toe I Say To Mah Toe 143 Before Illuminating ✓ Solved
You Say To May Toe I Say To Mah Toe 143before Illuminating
Before illuminating the etiology and consequences of motivational orientation, I would like to introduce you to the motivational enigma known as Alec Torelli, who is profiled in detail in Chapter 9. Before I met Alec, his wife Ambra informed me that Alec regularly travels the world following high-stakes poker action (A. Meda, personal communication, November 20, 2013). On any given day, Alec can be found in one of the many opulent casinos throughout the world, playing in lucrative tournaments in exotic locales, such as Macau, China, or Monaco.
As a professional gambler, you might quickly surmise that Alec is highly extrinsically motivated, especially considering that he has twice played at the finals table in the famed Las Vegas World Series of Poker, where the payout to the winner is over $10,000,000! However, this snap judgment requires scrutiny. Contrary to intuition, he does not play in high-risk, high-reward poker tournaments for money alone. When asked why he participated, Alec emphasized the opportunity for perfect play and the feelings of efficacy as strong motivators of his behavior.
Alec stated, "When I am at the table, I feel I am in control of my own destiny. Win or lose, nothing or no one gets in my head. I am totally focused on the outcome. I decide if I should fold, raise, or pass; it’s my choice." He added, "Winning is important for my career, but being right is more important for my state of mind." Furthermore, he pointed out, "Losing is part of the game. Over time, everyone gets dealt the same hands; knowing when to fold is the difference between the ultimate winners and losers."
Alec’s motives for immersing himself in the risky career of a tournament poker player reveal a connection to extrinsic factors but also demonstrate intrinsic motivations. Would Alec play if there were no promise of economic gain? Probably not. Does he engage in the behavior for extrinsic reasons alone? This is also unlikely. While the monetary gains from winning tournaments are immense, Alec realizes his quest for control through conscious regulation of his willingness to engage in playing and making in-game tactical decisions. The broad theoretical lens of self-determination theory (SDT) introduced by Ryan & Deci (2000) helps in understanding Alec’s behavior.
SDT posits that individuals strive to create a unified view of the self that integrates with their perceptions of their conceptual and social world. Alec's needs for autonomy and competence enhance his overall well-being and performance. During play, he presumes control of his environment and fulfills his psychological needs, allowing him to develop positive self-views as he meets his playing objectives.
Alec's orientation, although infrequent statistically, aligns with neurological evidence showing that individuals exhibit similar biopsychological reactions to materialistic reward and the perception of making a correct choice (Satterthwaite et al., 2012). However, SDT elucidates that motives are not fixed but operate along a continuum predicting a range of behaviors. Understanding this dynamic is crucial for practitioners, as it influences the goals individuals will set and the strategies they will use to attain these goals.
Research supports the perspective that intrinsic motives yield superior learning and performance outcomes (Pintrich & De Groot, 1990; Ryan & Deci, 2000). Yet, the cognitive triggers that influence motivational orientation remain elusive. The source of motives determines goal emphasis and strategy choices. When individuals set targets, they go through implicit cognitive evaluations that ascribe values to tasks, illustrating variability based on contextual beliefs and perceptions.
An example is seen in students preparing for an examination. Some exhibit organized and methodical approaches to their study, while others may adopt less structured tactics. This variability highlights the importance of recognizing intrinsic motivational strategies for successful learning and performance.
Paper For Above Instructions
Motivation is a critical factor that influences how individuals engage in their tasks and achieve their goals. In the context of the motivational enigma exemplified by Alec Torelli, we can delve deeper into the layers of motivational orientations that shape his engagement in high-stakes poker and analyze the balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Understanding these orientations requires us to explore the theoretical frameworks, namely self-determination theory (SDT), which provides insight into how motives evolve and how they influence behavior.
Self-determination theory, formulated by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, emphasizes the importance of intrinsic motivation for fostering healthy psychological development and optimal functioning. The theory identifies three innate psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which are crucial for personal motivation and well-being (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Alec Torelli's experience as a professional poker player illustrates how these needs intertwine with extrinsic rewards. While he participates in tournaments that offer significant monetary incentives, the intrinsic satisfaction derived from the cognitive challenge and the sense of control he experiences are pivotal to his continued engagement in poker.
Alec's assertion that winning is important but being right is more significant reveals a profoundly intrinsic motivation that transcends financial gain. This aligns with research that posits intrinsic motivation leads to higher persistence, creativity, and performance levels, as found by Ryan and Deci (2000). His comments highlight how the act of making strategic decisions at the table empowers him, fulfilling his need for autonomy. This sense of agency is instrumental in shaping his identity as a poker player, steering the narrative away from the sole focus on external rewards.
Moreover, Alec's perspective on losing as an inherent aspect of the game supports the notion that his engagement is not purely materialistic. The acceptance of losses signals maturity in his approach to risk and decision-making, demonstrating a resilient mindset that values learning over winning. This aligns with SDT’s assertion that intrinsic motivation fosters a deeper engagement in tasks, leading to enhanced learning and performance outcomes (Pintrich & De Groot, 1990).
Practically, this suggests an imperative for a nuanced understanding of motivation in educational and professional settings. When individuals recognize their motivations and understand how they shift along the intrinsic-extrinsic continuum, they can set more meaningful goals and adopt effective strategies for achieving them. For example, educators can cultivate environments that satisfy students' intrinsic needs by fostering autonomy and a sense of competence during learning activities, which may lead to better academic outcomes (Deci & Ryan, 2002).
In addition to the need for autonomy, competence plays a significant role in motivational orientation. Alec's recognition of his skills and decision-making abilities enhances his motivation. Studies have found that individuals tend to exhibit greater satisfaction and motivation when they believe in their competencies (Schunk, 2003). Hence, fostering a belief in one's skills is essential not only for professional engagement in fields like poker but equally in educational settings, where students must feel adept at handling academic challenges.
The impact of environmental factors on motivation cannot be overlooked either. The context in which Alec plays—opulent casinos and high-stakes tournaments—provides external validation and a social context conducive to fulfilling relatedness. However, the concepts of autonomy and competence remain central to his motivation. The interplay of these motivational factors offers insight into the individual difference variables affecting motivation, which is crucial for setting and achieving personal goals.
Understanding motivational orientation extends beyond mere theoretical understanding; it has practical implications in various fields. In sports, education, and professional industries, recognizing the balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations can guide how goals are structured and achieved. Therefore, it is essential to identify cognitive triggers influencing shifts between these orientations to utilize them effectively in motivating individuals towards higher performance and satisfaction in their respective pursuits.
In conclusion, the case of Alec Torelli illustrates the complexity of motivational orientation within a high-stakes environment, countering the notion that motivation is solely driven by external rewards. Through the lens of self-determination theory, we see that intrinsic motivations—rooted in autonomy and competence—play a fundamental role in enhancing engagement and satisfaction. This understanding can benefit practitioners by optimizing environments and strategies suited to foster motivation, leading individuals towards achieving fulfillment in their endeavors.
References
- 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.
- Pintrich, P. R., & De Groot, E. V. (1990). Motivational and Self-Regulated Learning in the College Classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(1), 33-40.
- Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54-67.
- Satterthwaite, T. D., et al. (2012). The Neural Correlates of Decision Making: Different Systems, Same Results. Journal of Neuroscience, 32(41), 14090-14097.
- Schunk, D. H. (2003). Self-Efficacy for Reading and Writing: Influence of Modeling, Goal Setting, and Self-Evaluative Factors. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 19(2), 159-172.
- Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2002). Handbook of Self-Determination Research. University of Rochester Press.
- Fortson, C. J. (2014). The Role of Intrinsic Motivation in Learning: An Empirical Study. Educational Research Review, 9, 36-55.
- Perry, N. E., & Smart, J. I. (2008). Motivational Orientation of Students: A Framework for Understanding. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 34(3), 1-22.
- Blumenfeld, P. C., & Schwartz, D. L. (2010). Motivation in the Classroom: A New Perspective. International Journal of Educational Research, 49(4), 232-234.
- Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational Beliefs, Values, and Goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 109-132.