analyze a peer-reviewed psychology journal article that
contains research examining the social psychology aspects of motivation and emotion. You will then
demonstrate your understanding of the article by critiquing the research and conclusions contained therein.
choose a journal article in which motivation and
emotion during a social situation are viewed under the lens of social psychology. The article must be peerreviewed and should be no older than 7 years.
Find a peer-reviewed journal article concerning research that specifically examines motivation and emotion
during a social situation. You will be critiquing the article and framing the research and conclusions presented in
the article in the context of how they can be applied to behavior and social psychology.
Once you have chosen your article about motivation and emotion, you will write an article critique. Frame the
research and conclusions presented in the article in the context of how they can be applied to behavior and social
psychology as you address each of the following:
Discuss social factors that influence people or groups to conform to the actions of others.
Indicate how behaviors and motivation are impacted by the presence of others.
Indicate the structures of the brain that are involved in emotion and motivation. (If your article does not address
this detail, you may need to conduct more research using the CSU Library or other professional resources.)
Examine the article's generalizability to various areas of psychology
Full Answer Section
Social Factors and Conformity:
The study supports the concept of informational social influence. Participants who believed they were working with a likeable partner exerted more effort and reported greater enjoyment during the task, even though the partner's actual performance remained constant. This suggests that people conform to the perceived expectations of others, particularly those they find likeable. Desire to maintain a positive social connection with a liked partner motivates increased effort and positive emotional experience.
Impact on Behavior and Motivation:
The study highlights how the presence of others can significantly impact intrinsic motivation. When working with someone perceived as likeable, individuals are more likely to be driven by enjoyment and a desire to contribute to the shared task, as opposed to solely focusing on external rewards. The research suggests a positive social environment can enhance intrinsic motivation and effort.
Brain Structures (not addressed in the article):
The specific brain structures involved are not directly addressed in this research. However, other studies have linked reward centers in the brain, particularly the ventral striatum, to feelings of enjoyment and motivation. Social interaction and positive social connections can activate these reward centers, potentially explaining the increased motivation observed when working with a likeable partner.
Generalizability:
The study's generalizability has limitations. The experiment involved a relatively short, controlled task in a lab setting. Real-world collaboration can be more complex, with factors like pre-existing relationships, task complexity, and cultural norms influencing social interactions. Additionally, the research focuses on perceived likeability; future studies could explore the impact of other social factors like perceived competence or shared goals on motivation.
Conclusion:
Morewedge & Bryan's research offers valuable insights into the social psychology of motivation and emotion. It demonstrates how social factors, particularly perceived likeability, can influence individual effort, enjoyment, and intrinsic motivation within group settings. This knowledge can be applied to various fields, such as educational settings where fostering positive student-teacher relationships can enhance motivation and learning, or workplace environments where team-building exercises might leverage the power of "liking" to promote collaboration and engagement. Further research can explore the generalizability of these findings to more diverse social contexts and complex collaborative tasks.