Question 1

People typically prefer a reward now rather than a larger reward in the future. However, people tend to prefer to wait for a reward rather than receive it now if the reward is

Accepted Answer

The answer of People typically prefer a reward now rather...

Question 2

One criticism of Maslow's hierarchy theory is that it

Accepted Answer

One criticism of Maslow's hierarchy theory is that it is culture-specific, as it was developed based on observations made primarily on Western individuals and may not be applicable to individuals from other cultural backgrounds.

Question 3

One way of stating the overjustification effect is that

Accepted Answer

The overjustification effect refers to the decrease in intrinsic motivation that occurs when a person is given extrinsic rewards, such as money or prizes, for doing something they already enjoy doing. This can lead to a shift in motivation from intrinsic to extrinsic, reducing the overall enjoyment of the activity and making it less likely that the person will continue to do it for its own sake.

Question 4

A fifth-grader has just learned how to do some simple programming on her dad's computer. Now, her class at school is learning programming and she gets gold stars for doing well. If the overjustification effect occurs, what is likely to happen this summer when she no longer gets stars for programming?

Accepted Answer

The overjustification effect predicts that providing external rewards for an already internally rewarding behavior can lead to a decrease in the intrinsic motivation for that behavior. Therefore, when the fifth-grader stops receiving gold stars for programming, her motivation to work hard may decrease because she was previously motivated by the external reward of receiving gold stars.

Question 5

A monkey goes through several steps to open a box containing nothing, just for the fun of opening it. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

The monkey's behavior is not driven by the need to fulfill a basic physiological need such as food or water, nor is it being offered any external rewards (extrinsic motivation). The monkey appears to be motivated by the act of opening the box itself, which is an example of intrinsic motivation.

Question 6

Which of the following illustrates the concept of delay of gratification?

Accepted Answer

Choosing $1,000 one year from now rather than $500 now illustrates the concept of delay of gratification as the individual is willing to wait and delay their reward in order to receive a greater reward in the future.

Question 7

Abraham Maslow proposed that we resolve conflicts by a:

Accepted Answer

Maslow's theory suggests that humans have different levels of needs that must be fulfilled in a certain order. Once a lower level of need is satisfied, it ceases to be a motivator, and attention shifts to the next higher level of need. This hierarchy of needs includes physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness and love needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. By fulfilling these needs, individuals can resolve conflicts and achieve self-fulfillment.

Question 8

Betsy used to paint as a hobby. Now that she has become a professional portrait painter, she no longer enjoys painting during her spare time. This change in her motivations is an example of

Accepted Answer

The overjustification effect occurs when an individual's intrinsic motivation to engage in an activity decreases once an external reward is introduced. In this case, Betsy used to paint as a hobby (intrinsic motivation), but now that she is getting paid as a professional painter (external reward), she no longer enjoys painting for leisure.

Question 9

According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, you satisfy your lower needs

Accepted Answer

Maslow's hierarchy of needs states that lower level needs such as physiological, safety, and love/belonging must be satisfied before an individual can move on to fulfilling their higher level needs of esteem and self-actualization. Therefore, B is the correct answer as lower needs are satisfied before moving on to higher needs.

Question 10

Bobby's parents want him to stop drawing on the walls. So for a few weeks they pay him to draw on the walls, then stop paying him. Sure enough, when they stop paying, he stops drawing. Which principle did his parents make use of?

Accepted Answer

Bobby's parents made use of the overjustification effect, which occurs when an individual initially performs a behavior because they find it inherently enjoyable, but then begins to perform the behavior for external rewards (in this case, money). When the rewards are removed, the behavior may decrease or stop altogether.

Question 11

Chuck's parents want him to learn to enjoy reading. Many psychologists would advise them not to pay him large rewards for reading. Why?

Accepted Answer

The overjustification effect refers to the phenomenon where offering extrinsic rewards for doing something that was previously intrinsically rewarding can actually decrease the person's overall motivation or enjoyment of the activity. This is because the person begins to associate the task with the external reward rather than the inherent pleasure or satisfaction of the activity itself. So, in the case of Chuck, if his parents were to offer him large rewards for reading, he may begin to view reading as a task solely to be completed for the reward, rather than something he would do for pleasure or enjoyment.

Question 12

Which of the following is probably an example of the overjustification effect?

Accepted Answer

The overjustification effect occurs when an external incentive like money or prizes decreases a person's intrinsic motivation to perform a task. In choice A, professional tennis players, who likely began playing tennis out of love for the game, might find their intrinsic motivation diminished when playing becomes their job, thus exemplifying the overjustification effect.

Question 13

For many people, the main motivation for certain behaviors (such as painting graffiti on walls) is "showing off." If someone now provides a small payment for the same behavior, the person's desire to do the behavior may actually decrease. The decreased motivation is an example of the

Accepted Answer

The overjustification effect refers to the phenomenon of reduced intrinsic motivation for a behavior that was previously intrinsically motivated, due to the introduction of extrinsic rewards. In this case, the payment for painting graffiti on walls is an extrinsic reward, which may decrease the person's intrinsic motivation to engage in the behavior solely for the sake of showing off.

Question 14

At the apex of Maslow's hierarchy is the need for

Accepted Answer

The apex of Maslow's hierarchy is self-actualization, which is the realization of one's full potential and the desire to become the best version of oneself. This involves a focus on personal growth, creativity, and fulfillment of one's goals and aspirations. It is important to note that this need is only fully realized when the individual has already met their lower-level needs such as physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging needs, and esteem needs.

Question 15

The tendency to defer gratification is a personality variable related to a person's ability to

Accepted Answer

Deferring gratification means choosing a larger, delayed reward over an immediate, smaller reward. Option A refers to inhibition, which is related to self-control, while option B is related to resilience. Option C is the opposite of deferring gratification as it refers to choosing a smaller, immediate reward instead of a larger, delayed reward.

Question 16

Playing the piano for the fun of it is an example of __________; playing the piano because one is being paid is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

Intrinsic motivation refers to doing something because it is inherently interesting or enjoyable, while extrinsic motivation refers to doing something because it leads to a separable outcome, such as receiving payment.

Question 17

You have been told you must receive a very painful, and completely unavoidable shock. Although you can't avoid the shock, you do get to choose when (within the next 10 years) you will receive the shock. If you are like most participants in a study who imagined such an event, you would choose to receive your shock

Accepted Answer

Most people prefer to get unpleasant experiences over with as soon as possible to avoid the anticipation and anxiety leading up to the event.

Question 18

Research on delay of gratification suggests?

Accepted Answer

Research on delay of gratification suggests that people usually select the immediate reward, rather than delaying gratification. Studies have shown that this tendency is often influenced by factors such as impulsivity, self-control, and the perceived value of the delayed reward.

Question 19

Suppose Shyla enjoys playing video games. If we start paying her substantial amounts to play more frequently, she may come to enjoy it less. This phenomenon is known as the:

Accepted Answer

The overjustification effect occurs when an external reward, such as money, is given for something that a person originally enjoyed doing intrinsically. The introduction of the external reward can actually undermine the person's intrinsic motivation, causing them to enjoy the activity less over time.

Question 20

Subjects in group A play a game for intrinsic motivations only. Subjects in group B are provided with extrinsic motivations as well. Then both groups are given a chance to play the game for only intrinsic motivations. What will probably happen?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that extrinsic motivators can actually decrease intrinsic motivation, as individuals may begin to view the activity as a means to an end rather than an enjoyable experience in itself. Therefore, subjects in group A who played the game solely for intrinsic motivations may continue to find the game enjoyable, while subjects in group B may have had their intrinsic motivation dampened by the extrinsic motivators and thus may be less interested in playing for intrinsic reasons alone.

Quiz 11: Motivated Behaviors