Motivational Systems Research Articles

Revisiting Empathy, Motivational Systems, and a Theory of Cure

ABSTRACT Lichtenberg’s chapter on “Empathy, Motivational Systems, and a Theory of Cure” was a brilliant effort to integrate his new paradigm of multimotivational systems with Kohut’s empathic approach to psychotherapy. Lichtenberg shows how the clinical dialogue with patients can be monitored by using empathic perception to track shifts in motivational systems. At any given moment, a particular motivational system may become dominant. Successfully identifying the dominant motivation through empathic perception creates in patients a feeling of being understood without judgment. This ambience of safety allows for a shift that activates an exploratory motivation with patients and a spirit of inquiry. An observational platform is created where experience from the past with attachment figures and interaction in the here and now in therapy can be explored from new perspectives. Recent research in psychotherapy that uses monitoring the clinical dialogue with patients by tracking shifts in motivational systems supports the view of its positive effects. Lichtenberg’s “theory of cure” is based on the premise that an empathic perception that monitors shifts in motivational systems will mobilize intrinsic self-righting capacities in patients. I note that there is controversy about what mutative factors in psychotherapy are most important: building an ambience of safety and trust or creating new insights into personal and internal conflicts through the use of language and symbolic representations. Both factors are crucial for positive changes in psychotherapy, and their importance will vary from patient to patient and from one patient–therapist relation to another. I note that Wilma Bucci’s multiple code theory that sees experience coded at subsymbolic and verbal symbolic levels supports this view. I close by proposing that we can build on Lichtenberg’s multimotivational system by adding a trans-survival need to give meaning to our lives.

Young Chinese Language Learners’ L2 Motivational Self System and Learning Achievement in Chinese Literacy Acquisition

ABSTRACT This study investigated the impact of young Chinese second language learners’ motivation on their Chinese literacy acquisition. Based on the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS), 188 Grade 5 ethnic minority students in Hong Kong were assessed. They completed an L2MSS questionnaire, a Chinese oral vocabulary test, and Chinese literacy measures, which covered Chinese character reading, spelling, reading comprehension, and sentence writing. Structural equation modelling results showed that the L2MSS tripartite predictors—ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and learning experience—predicted the students’ intended learning effort and literacy achievement, controlling for oral vocabulary. The ought-to self had the strongest total effect on effort and achievement, while the ideal self had a substantial effect on the learning experience and indirectly contributed to effort. This study argues that young learners’ perceived social expectation significantly influenced their motivation to learn to read and write Chinese. Their identification as fluent Chinese readers and writers generated positive learning experiences that were conducive to literacy learning.

Empathy, Motivational Systems, and a Theory of Cure

Empathy, Motivational Systems, and a Theory of Cure

Behavioral Segmentation of Personnel in the Human Resource Management System of Universities

In the conditions of modernization of higher education, the importance of effective methods of managing the personnel potential of universities and higher education institutions is increasing. The use of segmentation allows you to form an effective strategy for personnel management of various categories, minimize personnel risks, save time and financial resources. The purpose of the study is to identify the technologies of behavioral segmentation of the organization’s personnel and to consider the possibilities of their use in the management of the human resources potential of higher education institutions. The analysis of the data of sociological surveys indicates the presence of significant difficulties in conducting behavioral segmentation of university teachers, which is due to a wide range of objective and subjective factors that determine the specifics of professional strategies of teachers. Based on the research results, a variant of behavioral segmentation of teachers is proposed, taking into account two factors: on the one hand, the level of expectations from work, requests to the employer, the most significant for teachers, on the other hand, the level of practical implementation of requests and expectations from the professional activity of teachers. The general characteristics and boundaries of the segments allocated depending on behavioral characteristics can become the basis for the development and implementation of a differentiated personnel policy, the formation of an effective system of motivation of employees of different categories. The behavioural segmentation of teachers, proposed by the author of this study, is based on general marketing approaches to the analysis of motivational orientations and preferences of a specific category of employees; the article considers a wide range of factors that determine teachers’ satisfaction with their work. The complexity of the implementation of these approaches is due to the fact that there is no universal toolkit for behavioral segmentation of personnel, and the choice of criteria and methods for separating and dividing personnel should be specified each time taking into account the objectives facing managers.

Modeling L2 motivation change and its predictive effects on learning behaviors in the extramural digital context: a quantitative investigation in China

Abstract Language learning in the extramural digital (ED) context has recently gained momentum because it focuses on second language (L2) learners’ autonomous, unstructured, online learning activities beyond the classroom. Drawing upon Dörnyei’s L2 motivational self system (including the ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and L2 learning experience) to operationalize L2 learners’ motivational mindsets, this study aims to investigate whether L2 English learners’ ought-to L2 self can be translated into their ideal L2 self and predict learning behaviors within the ED context. Survey data from 310 undergraduate students in a top-tier Chinese university were collected and analyzed following a structural equation modeling approach. The results indicate that participants’ ought-to L2 self can facilitate the development of their ideal L2 self only through the full mediation effect of the L2 learning experience in the ED environment. Also, while students’ ought-to L2 self cannot directly predict their motivated learning behaviors in the ED context, there exists a significant indirect impact through the joint mediation of the L2 learning experience and ideal L2 self. These findings contribute to the ongoing conversation about L2 motivational dynamics by unveiling the conversion and interaction of different L2 motivational forces in digital and out-of-class settings.

Informal institutions’ influence on FDI flows: A configurational fsQCA analysis of corruption as part of the MNEs’ FDI motivation system

Previous research has emphasised the importance of examining institutional influences on FDI attractiveness. There is, however, relatively limited research with conflicting results exploring the relationship between informal institutional effects, such as level of corruption, and FDI motivation. Addressing this gap, we adopt a configurational fsQCA-based approach to link informal institutional influences to FDI motivation driving the presence or absence of FDI flows. Conceptualising corruption as bribery and unfair business practices, we extend our understanding of informal institutional quality impact on FDI inflows. Results reveal that informal institutional effects on FDI vary across regions, with several pathways explaining the presence or absence of FDI, according to the presence or absence of corruption. We add to previous studies by identifying the conditions that, when combined with corruption, are linked to the presence or absence of FDI. Results also indicate that whilst corruption appears unimportant in preventing FDI, and is of only secondary importance in driving FDI, it appears to have importance in determining the type of MNEs’ undertaking FDI. Overall, corruption is likely determining which companies invest in a country, rather than if, traditional reasons for FDI, particularly Resource and Market seeking, being key, with strategic and efficiency-seeking also being of secondary importance.

Intrinsic Motivational States Can Be Classified by Non-Contact Measurement of Autonomic Nervous System Activation and Facial Expressions

Motivation is a primary driver of goal-directed behavior. Therefore, the development of cost-effective and easily applicable systems to objectively quantify motivational states is needed. To achieve our goal, this study investigated the feasibility of classifying high- and low-motivation states by machine learning based on a diversity of features obtained by non-contact measurement of physiological responses and facial expression analysis. A random forest classifier with feature selection yielded modest success in the classification of high- and low-motivation states. Further analysis linked high-motivation states to the indices of autonomic nervous system activation reflective of reduced sympathetic activation and stronger, more intense expressions of happiness. The performance of motivational state classification systems should be further improved by incorporating different varieties of non-contact measurements.

Personnel motivation in the sphere of business management

Introduction. The paper deals with the peculiarities of personnel motivation in the field of business management that organization and use of values management help to strengthen the value of staff identity and is focused on the formation of the value system in the company as a whole. The purpose of the paper is to study of the personnel motivation system in the field of business management. Results. The result of the study is the generalization and systematization of the concepts of management of value staff. According to the results of the study, dominant trends in the organizational behavior of employees were revealed, depending on their level and tendency to changes in work. Increasing labor productivity and efficiency can be achieved by using your own potential through a motivational mechanism and makes work interesting. The peculiarities of changes in the work used by employees in organizations do not allow them to reduce the stress of working with people, which inevitably leads to psycho-emotional burnout. The methods used allow to provide the risks of professional burnout, the dismissal of the employee and the reduction of qualitative indicators, as well as to determine the dominant strategy of rethinking their organizational behavior. Conclusion. Value management integrates economic (labor efficiency) and psychological (involvement, relationships, satisfaction from work). It is an integral part of a developed organizational culture and becomes available only at a certain stage of the company's life cycle. The management of values based on a resource approach allows the leader to improve the economic indicators of the organization at the expense of personal resources of employees (through their involvement, identification of personal values with values of the organization) without the use of additional financial incentives and penalties.

Exploring complex multilingual motivation types among Chinese students majoring in dual foreign languages: a Q method study

ABSTRACT Researches on L2 motivation have traditionally exhibited a monolingual bias. However, the concept of a multilingual motivational system has gradually gained attention in recent studies. This study examines the multilingual motivation types and components among 50 students majoring in dual foreign languages in China. To explore diverse motivation types and cross-linguistic differences in multilingual motivations, Q methodology, which shares features of both qualitative and quantitative research approaches, was employed. Retrospective interviews were also conducted after data analysis to gain a more profound understanding. The students’ shared viewpoints were identified through multiple inverted factor analysis, which were further verified by the interview results. Findings indicate that, within the framework of the L2 Motivation Self System, the multilingual self serves as the initial motivation for students choosing dual language majors. Notably, the ought-to language self is more significant than the ideal language self. Additionally, students majoring in different L3 exhibit distinct types of multilingual motivation. The study has some pedagogical importance of incorporating translanguaging backgrounds into teaching strategies and offers specific recommendations for language teachers working with students majoring in dual foreign languages in China.

“Coolness” and “joy” in games: factors influencing mobile game players' willingness to make in-game purchases

PurposeThis study aims to deeply explore the factors influencing mobile game players' willingness to make in-game purchases, providing references for game developers and marketers to formulate effective strategies.Design/methodology/approachThis research integrates the coolness factors and hedonic motivation system acceptance model to construct a comprehensive theoretical model analyzing mobile game players' willingness to make in-game purchases. The framework includes multidimensional variables such as joy, coolness, immersion, and game experience. Using data from 392 surveys collected from mobile game forums and social networks, the study employs structural equation modeling to analyze the factors and mechanisms influencing players' willingness to make in-game purchases and to verify the related research hypotheses.FindingsThe findings reveal that coolness factors have a significant positive impact on game experience and immersion, which in turn affect players' willingness to make in-game purchases. Game experience has a significant positive impact on both immersion and purchase willingness. A good game experience not only increases players' immersion but also directly enhances their willingness to make in-game purchases. Immersion plays a mediating role in the influence of coolness factors and joy on purchase willingness.Originality/valueBy integrating coolness theory with the hedonic motivation system acceptance model, this study constructs a comprehensive model to explore mobile game players' willingness to make in-game purchases. The combination of variables, including personal psychological and social psychological factors, provides a thorough analysis of the factors influencing mobile game purchase willingness, enriching existing research.

Features of the personnel motivation system in innovative organizations

This article is devoted to the study of the issues of innovative organizations personnel motivation. The author describes the features of innovative organizations: stimulating scientific research, innovation and the search for non–standard solutions, therefore their principles of motivation should be aimed specifically at the implementation of these tasks. The article is related to the issues of increasing the productivity and efficiency of companies. Often in traditional organizations, staff motivation systems are created without taking into account the opinions of employees and have little correlation with the company’s values. According to the author, for productive innovation, it is important to develop and implement a policy that encourages innovative approaches, as well as creativity and initiative of employees. A well thought out staff motivation system plays a key role in the application of this policy, which ultimately contributes to the successful implementation of ambitious projects, increasing profits and the image of the organization. The article presents the characteristics of motivational incentives, namely monetary and non–monetary. The author substantiates the thesis that in order to stimulate innovative activity to employees needs to choose an individual approach, and non–monetary motivation in this case turns out to be more important than the monetary component.

Mannerist Literary Concert in 88 Fragments: Over the Book by Nadija Rebronja 88

The paper deals with Nadija Rebronja’s book 88, which is conceived as 88 piano keys or fragments. The paper recognizes some important links that this book establishes with the mannerist literary tradition, as understood and explained by Gustav René Hocke in his widely acknowledged books Mannerism in Literature and The World as a Labyrinth. Instead of opening up to the totality of all things, 88 resembles a mannerist work that closes itself into its own artistic reality and questions the place that literature and art occupy in today’s world. The paper also deals with the implications that arise from the connection Nadija Rebronja establishes with the tradition of magic(al)realism, particularly regarding the construction of motivational systems and their relation to the phenomenon of magic in this book. By utilising the concepts of simultaneity and catalogue, 88 relates to the tradition of the Russian avant-garde, as understood by Aleksandar Flaker. It is also shown that a reassessment, a significant avant-garde procedure, holds an important place in the 88, since the author re-evaluates the figure of travel and a topos of the town square in relation to classical literature. This reassessment is linked to the tradition of hikaye, instructive stories that have come from the Islamic tradition, as well as a farce - a literary form based on reversal. The final part of this paper deals with the fragmentation in Nadia Rebronja’s88 which can be linked to the atomization within the mannerist literature and the avant-garde understanding of the world. It also explores the ways in which the world created in this book relates to,on the one hand,the “optimal projection” as one of the characteristics of the avant-garde, and the concept of utopia as an alternative to freethinking on the other.

Does Caring Breed Contempt? Examining the Hypothesis That Activation of a “Parental” Mindset Causes Harsher Moral Judgments

Prior research (most of which is correlational) has suggested that activation of the parental care motivational system may lead people to make harsher moral judgments of social norm violators. We tested this hypothesis in 8 studies (total N = 1790). Seven of the studies were true experiments in which participants made moral judgments after being randomly assigned to either conditions designed to temporarily activate the parental care system or to a control condition. In one of these experiments, participants viewed photographs of either cute animals or furniture and in 6 additional experiments, participants engaged in an autobiographical writing task in which they recalled and wrote about a time they either cared for a child or—in the control conditions that varied across these experiments—had a different experience. In the final non-experimental study, women were recruited in public places and made moral judgments, the harshness of these judgments was compared between those accompanied by a young child versus not accompanied by a young child. The effects (and non-effects) of these procedures on moral judgments were inconsistent across the 8 studies and an internal meta-analysis of the 7 true experiments provided no compelling evidence that the experimental manipulations influenced moral judgments. We hope that these results offer some guidance to future researchers on what methods might—and might not—be effective in activating the parental care system and can support future work on the influence of parental care on moral cognition.

Major Factors of Young Teachers’ Burnout in Private Universities in Mainland China

This article takes young teachers in private universities in mainland China as the research subjects and carries out a literature review focused on teacher burnout and related contexts. The major factors of young teachers’ burnout are found to be the influences from the external environment in private universities, influences from the internal environment in private universities, and the influences from teachers’ own professionalism. Based on the author’s and the young teachers’ experience, the most effective strategy for releasing burnout among private university young teachers is using the motivation system, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and Herzberg’s two-factor theory. Once the sense of belonging is formed, the young teachers trust their prosperity is indivisible with the schools, and they inspire their work enthusiasm and creativity consciously.

How do users select the content they share on social media: flow theory perspective

PurposePaper studies the intervention of FI and TD on the sharing intention on social media (SM) users with different motivations.Design/methodology/approachThe mechanism for different motivations of SM users to influence sharing intention is explored using WarpPLS. The proposed model applies TAM in Hedonic Motivation System context and includes an alternate pathway of flow state.FindingsReciprocal relationship between FI and TD is empirically proven. Insights from the “Motivated Sharing Model for Social Media”(MSMSM) follow that users who use SM for information get immersed, however intention to share is not triggered by it.Practical implicationsThis study emphasizes on the compatibility of content characteristics with the gratifications of the motivations for SM use to achieve virality. Practitioners may use MSMSM to optimize content, so it appeals to the target audience and has a higher probability of being shared.Originality/valueSocial media users carry different motivations and choose to share select content on the overloaded platform. However, the mechanism for different motivations to drive sharing on SM has remained unexplored. Literature highlights flow as the driver of sharing, whilst the findings on the relationship between flow state and sharing intention on SM are inconclusive; some estimate a positively significant relationship, while others find it to be partially or selectively significant. In this study, intervention of the two dimensions of induced flow: namely, focused immersion (FI) and temporal dissociation (TD)—on the sharing intention on SM is examined.

Rural School Students’ Motivational Orientations in Learning English as a Foreign Language

Many empirical studies have been conducted to examine students’ motivation to learn English as a Foreign Language, given its growing power and the influence of globalization. However, school students' voices were almost missing in previous research in the Kazakhstani context, especially in rural areas. Hence, the purpose of this study was to explore motivational orientations in learning English as a foreign language in one rural school. To do so, the following research questions were formulated: 1) What are students’ motivational orientations in learning English as a foreign language? 2) What strategies are viewed as helpful in increasing their motivation? The Language 2 Motivational System proposed by Dornyei’s (2005) was applied in the research. It is built on three components: Ideal Language 2 Self; Ought 2 Self; Language 2 learning experience. The study was conducted through a qualitative approach. The data was collected via semi-structured one-on-one interviews with nine Grade 9 students. The six phases of thematic analysis developed by Braun and Clarke (2013) were used to analyze the data. The study revealed that students’ Ideal 2 Self prevails over Ought 2 Self, where family and future endeavors were found to be the most influential factors. From this study, several implications were suggested, such as conducting only English lessons, organizing school competitions, adding extra classes, and reopening private tutoring centers in the village.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF AL-MAKKI AND AL-GHAZALI ON SPIRITUAL DIMENSION OF RAJA’ (HOPE) APPROACH IN TREATING DRUG ADDICTS

Drug abuse is a global alarming concern that affects the world community, including Malaysia with the significant numbers increasing day by days. Drugs were scientifically proven as a damaging substance to brain functionality, which controls social behaviour, reward systems, and human motivational systems. Drug dependency has impacted severely for individuals and society. However, drug addicts are constantly looking for drugs, knowing the fact that the substances are affecting them for a prolonged period. As a response, drugs have been banned in Islam considering their impact on humanity. Thus, several interventions were initiated as a preventative mechanism to address the issue properly. Several types of approaches have been carried including pharmacological, psychological, and psychodynamic treatments to overcome the problem of drug abuse. Therefore, this study seeks to find an alternative treatment for drug addiction based on the religiosity and spirituality approach of the Islamic dimension. This study also intends to evaluate the differences between Al-Makki's views regarding raja' as compared to al-Ghazali. This study is qualitative in nature and therefore, it depends much on in-depth textual analysis. The data was analytically studied from the relevant works of al-Ghazali and Abu Talib al-Makki and later were compared to develop the concept of raja' as suggested by Islam. The finding shows that both figures have extensively discussed the prevalent concept of raja’ as a salutary employment of hope of the soul. It is also suggested that al-Ghazali' ideas was highly influenced by al-Makki, however, he strategizes the concept in an extensive arrangement. Al-Makki emphasizes raja' or hope as the powerful desire of a human being upon requesting something from Allah. The fundamental elements of hope, especially inner meaning, and inner action, can be regarded as a spiritual model for a drug addict considering these spiritual insights are still applicable in modern Muslim society. Hope is believed to be spiritual motivating factors for them to stop the addiction with the help of medication and support from surrounding. This implies that spirituality dimension is a complimentary to a holistic treatment of most illness especially in dealing with addiction. Thus, is it suggested for a structured models to be made based on the concept of raja’ for future study.

Extramural German Activities and Motivation to Learn German as a Foreign Language in the Secondary Education Context

This study investigates the motivation for learning German as a Foreign Language (GFL) of Hungarian secondary school students, in particular, their extramural activities and the impact of these activities on their learning motivation in second language (L2) acquisition. While much existing research on L2 learning motivation focuses on English, less attention is paid to other languages such as German, despite its economic and cultural importance in Hungary. Utilising Dörnyei’s (2005) L2 Motivational Self System framework, this paper explores how extramural German activities, such as interaction on social media, and consumption of German media, contribute to GFL learning motivation and GFL proficiency. Using the quantitative research paradigm, this paper analyses data collected from 546 Hungarian secondary school students assessing their motivation and the frequency of their engagement in different extramural German activities. The results indicate that these activities are generally pursued infrequently, however, certain types, particularly digital and interactive ones, have a positive effect on GFL learning motivation. Gender differences in frequency of engagement in extramural German activities were also found. The pedagogical implications of this paper suggest that the integration of certain extramural German activities into GFL learning may enhance learners’ motivation. The article also offers directions for future research to further explore the intricate dynamics of extramural activities and L2 learning motivation.

Jingle–Jangle Fallacies in L2 Motivational Self System Research: A Response to Al-Hoorie et al. (2024)

Jingle–Jangle Fallacies in L2 Motivational Self System Research: A Response to Al-Hoorie <i>et al</i>. (2024)

Content and language integrated pedagogy and language learning motivation in a socioeconomically marginalized school context

AbstractWithin school contexts that are socioeconomically marginalized, complex factors often lead to languages learning being devalued in ways which adversely impact students' potential, particularly their motivation to learn an additional language (L2). This paper examines the role of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in shaping students' L2 learning motivation within a school setting that is socioeconomically marginalized, and how it may offer a solution to this challenge. Drawing on Dörnyei's (2005) theory of the L2 Motivational Self System, this study analyzes qualitative data from a Japanese/Science CLIL course taught in one such Australian secondary school setting. Although the findings confirm previous research on CLIL's generally positive influence on student motivation, it also identifies instances of a negative impact with a certain student group. The paper concludes with the implication of CLIL‐based approaches for languages provision in challenging school contexts.