[Xmca-l] Re: Intrinsic motivation?

[mike cole]

Maybe you could call it "justified" intrinsic motivation, a form of
motivation that is socio-culturally mediated but attributed to the
individual's long term characterological story of an intrinsically
motivated person?
mike


On Sun, Aug 3, 2014 at 10:52 AM, Cathrene Connery <cconnery@ithaca.edu>
wrote:

> Hi Greg:
> I think you are onto something here, in light  of the fact that many
> dichotomies are false, especially when contextualized within the
> sociocultural, historical-political complexity of human society. While
> John-Steiner and Hersh were specifically talking about recognition and
> motivation in this case, is also possible that the
> scientist/artist/athelete or other thinkers-performers experience a
> completely different and discipline-specific form of fulfillment when
> accomplishing that which has not be achieved before and /or witnessing such
> big "C" (vs. little "c" creative events). The sense of fulfillment, in
> these instances, is derived from a specialized subculture that knows the
> inherent worth of the accomplishment (such as Olympic or world-class
> athletes). I suspect that these individuals experience a type of catharsis
> that involves both cognitive and affective aspects as well as
> aesthetic-functional dimensions. But, I have 60 papers to grade for summer
> school, so it is time to get back to work.
> Cathrene
>
> Dr. Cathrene Connery
> Associate Professor of Education
> Ithaca College
> Department of Education
> 194B Phillips Hall Annex
> 953 Danby Road
> Ithaca, New York 14850
> Cconnery@ithaca.edu
>
> On Aug 3, 2014, at 12:25 PM, "Greg Thompson" <greg.a.thompson@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > While reading David Kirshner's review of Hersh and John-Steiner's Loving
> > and Hating Math book, I cam across the following characterization of
> > Gregory Perelman's decision to refuse to accept the Fields Medal in light
> > of the apparent fact that his work had been plagiarized by a Chinese
> > scholar who had previously received the medal:
> >
> > "“Everybody understood that if the proof is correct then no other
> > recognition is needed” (p. 72), which Hersh and John-Steiner interpret as
> > “a beautiful example of intrinsic scientific motivation” (p. 73)."
> >
> > Although this makes perfect sense to me and my understanding of
> "intrinsic
> > motivation" from an intuitive sense, I was nonetheless struck by the fact
> > that in this case, it was an EXTERNAL recognition that is taken to be
> > "intrinsic".
> >
> > On the one hand, in my intuitive sense of this psychological terme d'arte
> > (as well as my emic everyday sense of it - psychological termes d'art are
> > part of everyday language about things like parenting and teaching!), it
> > seems that the Hersh and John-Steiner quote IS pointing to intrinsic
> > motivation.
> >
> > But, on the other hand, it also seems that the motivation in this case is
> > EXTRINSIC - the mathematician is seeking recognition of others (or
> perhaps
> > even recognition by the "field of mathematics" - which some might to
> > imagine to be a truth-conditional field that exists outside of any
> > community of mathematicians). Isn't this type of motivation "outside" of
> > the individual?
> >
> > Conversely, isn't it also the case that the desire for medals and awards
> > (e.g. the Fields Medal) or even other rewards (even marshmallows!) could
> be
> > thought of as INTRINSIC as well? Don't these desires have to be INSIDE
> the
> > person in order for the person to be motivated by them?
> >
> > Seems like all motivation is both extrinsic and intrinsic, no?
> >
> > And I wonder if this may be connected to the quote that Mike mentioned
> from
> > Luria that a person cannot control their behaviors any more than a shadow
> > can carry stones?
> >
> > Both seem to point to an ideology (myth) of individualism that is
> prevalent
> > among psychologists?
> >
> > For those interested, here is a description of intrinsic and extrinsic
> > motivation:
> > "Intrinsic motivation refers to behavior that is driven by internal
> > rewards. In other words, the motivation to engage in a behavior arises
> from
> > within the individual because it is intrinsically rewarding. This
> contrasts
> > with extrinsic motivation, which involves engaging in a behavior in order
> > to earn external rewards or avoid punishments."
> >
> > -greg
> >
> >
> > --
> > Gregory A. Thompson, Ph.D.
> > Assistant Professor
> > Department of Anthropology
> > 883 Spencer W. Kimball Tower
> > Brigham Young University
> > Provo, UT 84602
> > http://byu.academia.edu/GregoryThompson
>
>