1

Motivation and a Transformed Bias

Mid-Term Reflection: Motivation and a Transformed Bias

Amanda McGoye
PSYC 101 Section 003
The University of South Carolina

Motivation and a Transformed Bias

When I first signed up for my Psychology 101 class, my expectations were similar to that
of many other students as they go through their required general education classes. Psychology
101 was just one of those classes I had to make it through, or tough it out, as my mom told me
the day I left home to begin the spring semester of my freshman year. I didnt know why I
needed it, or what it was going to do to benefit me in the long run as I took the steps toward my
goal of becoming an occupational therapist, but I knew that the harder I worked at my general
education classes, the sooner I could begin the classes I thought I was coming to college for,
classes I was actually really interested in. So I began the semester with the same narrow-minded
assumptions as many of my peers; Psychology would probably be boring, a time-killer, and just
one more way the school was going to pull money from my wallet. Little did I know the
magnitude of just how wrong my assumptions really were. The things I have learned from
Psychology thus far have not only been applied to my future endeavors as I strive to become an
occupational therapist, but have altered how I see myself as a person and most importantly has
given me a deeper understanding of myself and every aspect of my thoughts, actions, and
feelings. Because of Psychology, I am able to better understand my motivations, one aspect of
myself that I had previously struggled to develop my own false understanding of, but through
this courses teachings have been able to correct, which I believe has dramatically shaped the
ways in which I have grown as a person this semester.
One of the topics that we discussed in class that I feel has had the most impact on me is
motivation. Motivation is defined within Psychology as factors that energize, direct, or sustain
behavior (Gazzaniga, Heatherton, & Halpern, 2011, p. 440). Within this particular topic of
Psychology several key aspects are addressed, such as Maslows hierarchy of needs and factors
that motivate our behaviors. In our discussion of Maslows hierarchy of needs we learned that

Motivation and a Transformed Bias

basic survival needs must be met before people can satisfy higher needs, with the motivation to
meet those needs being emphasized through the individuals drive rather than environmental
influence (Gazzaniga, Heatherton, & Halpern, 2011, p. 441). I was able to relate this study
specifically to how I have changed thus far in my time at the University of South Carolina in
regards to my motivation to lose over forty pounds. Maslows hierarchy is commonly depicted as
a pyramid with five separate categories of needs which are prioritized from the bottom of the
pyramid to the top of the pyramid (Gazzaniga, Heatherton, & Halpern, 2011, p. 441). At the
bottom of the pyramid, Maslow lists our basic physiological needs such as hunger, thirst,
warmth, air, and sleep (Gazzaniga, Heatherton, & Halpern, 2011, p. 441). The next level of the
pyramid addresses our needs of safety such as security, protection, and freedom from threats
(Gazzaniga, Heatherton, & Halpern, 2011, p. 441). The third level is associated with love and
belonging and includes things such as acceptance by society and having friends (Gazzaniga,
Heatherton, & Halpern, 2011, p. 441). The fourth level consists of needs regarding esteem, such
as good self-opinion, our reputation, and our accomplishments (Gazzaniga, Heatherton, &
Halpern, 2011, p. 441). At the top of the pyramid are what Maslow refers to as needs of selfactualization such as living to ones full potential and achieving our personal dreams (Gazzaniga,
Heatherton, & Halpern, 2011, p. 441). Based on my own self-assessment, I was able to better
understand what my motivations were for losing weight and why I was able to successfully
accomplish this goal within the past year. I was chasing the goal of self-actualization, which
Maslow defines with the statement, A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet
must write, if he is ultimately to be at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be
(Maslow, 1968, p.46). Once I had felt that I had satisfied my needs within the first three
categories Maslow addresses, I became more and more aware of the fact that I was not meeting

Motivation and a Transformed Bias

my needs in the upper two categories regarding esteem and self-actualization, thus intensifying
my motivation to meet those needs and achieve a high level of self-efficacy. Prior to my forty
pound weight loss, I was experiencing very low levels of self-esteem, thus inhibiting my ability
to be confident that I was living to my full potential. In essence, my inability to be satisfied
within the fourth category of Maslows hierarchy was restricting my ability to meet my needs
within the final category of Maslows hierarchy. With the better understanding of Maslows
hierarchy that I obtained from my Psychology class, I was able to better understand the factors
that motivated my behaviors to act upon my in-satisfaction with myself and who I was as a
person. Because of this class, I better understand my process of motivation, as my reasons for
losing weight and exercising have transformed from extrinsic motivation, the motivation to
perform an activity because of the external goals toward which the activity is directed, to
intrinsic motivation, motivation to perform an activity because of the value or pleasure
associated with that activity rather than for an apparent external goal or purpose (Gazzaniga,
Heatherton, & Halpern, 2011, p. 444). As I began to achieve higher levels of self-esteem and
increased self-actualization as I progressed through my weight loss and achieved my goals,
exercise became more of a hobby than a necessity, thus altering my motivation for carrying out
the activity.
The topics of study that I have found to be most interesting thus far are those that I find to
be most relatable and beneficial to my major and my plans to become an occupational therapist.
As an occupational therapist, I will be working with children with special needs such as mental
and physical disorders. Because of this, I found our class discussion of the mind and its functions
to be particularly interesting. I have developed a better understanding of how the mind operates
and why people with mental and physical impairments react and respond to the environment in

Motivation and a Transformed Bias

the ways that they do. Ive learned that neurotransmitters, the subcortical structures, and lobes of
the cerebral cortex play important roles in the regulations of body functions such as movement,
emotion, and our senses (Gazzaniga, Heatherton, & Halpern, 2011, p. 82-95). For example,
glutamate is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in enhancement, learning, and
memory (Gazzaniga, Heatherton, & Halpern, 2011, p. 86), while the prefrontal cortex plays an
important role in regulating attention, memory, decision making, social behavior, and personality
(Gazzaniga, Heatherton, & Halpern, 2011, p. 94). The functions that these structures regulate are
a major focus of my career, and I found our discussions on them and how they can differ from
person to person to be very interesting because it was something that I felt I would be able to
apply to my future studies, as I did for many other aspects of this particular topic.
Prior to the first week of this class, I had felt that this class would be an easy A, and that I
wouldnt have to do much studying or put in much effort to achieve a good grade in the class.
Within the first few weeks of class however, I soon realized that my assumptions were wrong. I
quickly learned that in order to achieve at a high level in this course, I would need to consistently
review the material, refer to the textbook, and participate in lecture. As a result, I developed a
planned studying schedule for the class and began to sit closer to the front of the lecture. The
changes that I have made thus far have helped me to achieve at a high level within the class,
therefore I plan to keep the same habits as the semester continues.
Though I have learned many things in my Psychology 101 lecture thus far, the two topics
that I have found to be the most interesting and beneficial to me are those regarding motivation
and the study of the brain. The elements I have taken from each of these topics are things that I
feel I will be able to relate to my life and my future endeavors. In our discussion of motivation, I
was able to better understand my personal drives and decisions, centering my focus on how my

Motivation and a Transformed Bias

motivations shape my decisions and have transformed me as a person. In our discussion of the
brain and its functions, which I found to be most interesting, I was able to apply the material
specifically to my career goals which entails an intense focus on the brain and how its different
parts operate and factor into our development, specifically in people with mental and physical
impairments. As I developed more of an interest in the topics of our class discussions, my study
plan that I have devised in order to succeed became easier to carry out, thus increasing my level
of success in the class as the topics became more enjoyable and relatable. Because of this, I plan
to continue to use the same study habits I have developed thus far for this class. Overall, the
mindset with which I entered this class at the beginning of the semester has been dramatically
altered as the semester has progressed. I have developed a greater interest in Psychology and
how it relates to my everyday life in addition to a greater appreciation for the subject itself, so
much so that I may consider taking other Psychology courses in the future.

Motivation and a Transformed Bias

References
Gazzaniga, M., Heatherton, T., & Halpern, D. (2011). Psychological science (4th ed.). New York,
N.Y.: W.W. Norton & Company.
Maslow, A. (1968). Toward a psychology of being. New York: Van Nostrand