Today’s topic: Differences between human and robot motivation.
Key question: Why are humans less consistent and more prone to procrastination compared to robots?
Human vs. Robot
Robots: Immediate action and results; no questions, no fatigue.
Humans: Inner resistance, lack of constant motivation despite clear commands.
Motivation Mechanism in Humans
Cycle of Action, Reward, Motivation
Example: Studying for an exam, achieving high grades as a reward, and getting motivated to study more.
Obstacles in the cycle: Inner resistance and motivation issues.
Defining Motivation
Psychological Definition: Desire to initiate and sustain behavior.
Action must come before motivation.
Wrong approach: Searching for motivation through distractions like TV shows.
Experiments and Studies
1998 Experiment with Primary School Students
Given difficult puzzles and good grades.
Divided into two groups: Praised for intelligence vs. hard work.
Results: Smart group chose easier tasks; hardworking group opted for more challenging tasks and were happier.
Locus of Control
External Locus of Control: Believing success is influenced by external factors (e.g., weather, other people’s mood).
Internal Locus of Control: Believing success is the result of one’s own efforts.
Example: Hardworking students link their success to their own efforts.
Practical Motivational Tips
Self-Motivation Workout
Convince yourself you have control over external factors without self-blame.
Example of a door-to-door salesperson and the importance of perception in success.
Role of Dopamine
Conservation of Energy: Historical need for humans to conserve energy, influencing motivation cycles.
Dopamine: Molecule responsible for the feeling of reward.
Diseases like Parkinson’s show dopamine’s role through side effects like gambling addiction.
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic Motivation: Enjoyment from performing the action itself (e.g., playing games).
Extrinsic Motivation: Performing actions for an external reward (e.g., winning an Olympic medal).
Overjustification Effect: Intrinsic motivation can decrease if extrinsic rewards are introduced (e.g., selling paintings initially done for enjoyment).
Balance Between Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
Importance of finding balance and using the correct type of motivation in different contexts.
Example: Making household chores enjoyable with positive reinforcement.
Conclusion
Embrace what makes us human: Complexity of our motivation cycles.
Value of positive interactions and sentimental motivations.
Interesting Note
Potential future where robots might develop their own values and motivation systems.