Describe motivational factors that led you to enroll at Walden and that keep you enrolled.

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In 1943, Abraham Maslow proposed a theory of motivation referred to as the hierarchy of needs. Levels 1-4 of the hierarchy pertain to achieving “deficit” human needs such as food, water, shelter, financial security, love, and respect.

Maslow argues that when all of “deficit” needs are met, humans become motivated to pursue self-actualization (i.e., fulfillment of one’s potential), which is considered a “being” need. In the quote above, Maslow refers to achieving self-actualization through education. Certainly, your motivation to obtain a degree may come from the intrinsic motivation to fulfill your potential or to expand your knowledge in a subject that interests you.

However, unless you are independently wealthy, you probably have more practical reasons for pursuing a degree. For example, you might be extrinsically motivated to obtain a degree because you know it will lead to a promotion and better pay, which would help you meet the “deficit” needs in Maslow’s hierarchy.

In this discussion, you will examine your motivations for pursuing a degree, based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and other theories of motivation. As you do so, keep in mind that human motivation is culturally bound, therefore, it can be difficult to generalize theories of motivation across cultures.

Post a response to the following:

Describe motivational factors that led you to enroll at Walden and that keep you enrolled. Then explain how these motivational factors might change as you progress from your first days at Walden to your first or second year. Finally, identify at least one intrinsic and one extrinsic motivation that could help keep you motivated to complete your degree. Be sure to address what role culture plays in your motivation to complete your degree.

 Outline a research question and hypothesis that interests you, and describe the key variables.

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 Outline a research question and hypothesis that interests you, and describe the key variables. This could be the research question you plan to use for your final project, but it does not have to be. What are the key variables? How could these variables be operationalized? Are there any ethical issues that arise when studying this topic? Also, be sure to label the independent and dependent variables. When responding to your classmates, suggest other ways that the variables in their research question could be operationally defined.

This is an example below; you CAN NOT use it,but it can show you how my answer for this discussion should look.

 

To begin, my research question would be “Does legal and/or familial intervention affect addiction recovery outcomes over time?” My hypothesis would be that legal and/or familial intervention does affect addiction recovery outcomes over time.

My theoretical variables are legal intervention, familial intervention, and the outcome of an addiction recovery program. The next challenge is to operationalize these variables. Data collection would be done through surveys. For legal intervention, participants would be asked if they were compelled to enter treatment as a legal consequence. For familial intervention, participants would be asked if friends and/or family members demanded the participant enter treatment. Our neutral condition would be those participants who faced neither legal compulsion or demand by friends or family members. These conditions would constitute our independent variables.

Our dependent variable would be participants continued sobriety and/or participation in a treatment program, such as rehabilitation services or something like a 12-step program. Participants would be asked how long they have been engaged in treatment as well as how long they have remained sober. A longitudinal study tracking continued participation as well as drop-out rates would be especially helpful. This data could be analyzed in relation to our independent variables.

As for ethical issues, we must be mindful of the sensitivity of this research. Addiction can be a highly emotional topic. Informed consent would be crucial. Participants should be informed of the purpose of this research, and careful measures should be implemented to protect participant confidentiality.

Denial as a Defense Mechanism Denial is one of the most challenging defense mechanisms used by individuals with addictions. This term has been familiar to the substance abuse treatment nomenclature for many decades. It applies when a substance abuser denies the existence or severity of his or her problem. Treatment for clients in denial is typically challenging. In these cases, the focus of intervention is on helping the client acknowledge the problem. The only way treatment will be successful is if the client recognizes the existence or extent of the substance abuse. The contemporary perspective is that denial occurs in the “pre-contemplative” stage of the change process (Prochaska, DiClemente, & Norcross, 1992). The denial of clients in this stage is not confronted as it was in older forms of treatment. It is viewed as a necessary beginning on the journey to sobriety. Addressing the denial requires encouraging the client to identify the ill effects as well as the perceived benefits of his or her substance abuse. The client in this stage will attempt to work toward finding internal motivation to change based on the insight gained about the effects of his or her use pattern. Use the module readings and the Argosy University online library resources to research denial used as a defense mechanism. Download and review the case study. Respond to the following: How is the use of denial by the substance-abusing client evident in the case? What other ways might substance-abusing individuals display denial? What approaches could you use to work with the client in the case study? Support your responses using your module readings and authoritative resources. Incorporate theory and factual information in your response. Write your initial response in 2–3 paragraphs. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

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Denial as a Defense Mechanism

Denial is one of the most challenging defense mechanisms used by individuals with addictions. This term has been familiar to the substance abuse treatment nomenclature for many decades. It applies when a substance abuser denies the existence or severity of his or her problem. Treatment for clients in denial is typically challenging. In these cases, the focus of intervention is on helping the client acknowledge the problem. The only way treatment will be successful is if the client recognizes the existence or extent of the substance abuse.

The contemporary perspective is that denial occurs in the “pre-contemplative” stage of the change process (Prochaska, DiClemente, & Norcross, 1992). The denial of clients in this stage is not confronted as it was in older forms of treatment. It is viewed as a necessary beginning on the journey to sobriety. Addressing the denial requires encouraging the client to identify the ill effects as well as the perceived benefits of his or her substance abuse. The client in this stage will attempt to work toward finding internal motivation to change based on the insight gained about the effects of his or her use pattern.

Use the module readings and the Argosy University online library resources to research denial used as a defense mechanism.

Download and review the case study.

Respond to the following:

  • How is the use of denial by the substance-abusing client evident in the case?
  • What other ways might substance-abusing individuals display denial?
  • What approaches could you use to work with the client in the case study?

Support your responses using your module readings and authoritative resources. Incorporate theory and factual information in your response.

Write your initial response in 2–3 paragraphs. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

What do you measure and how do you measure it (what tool or device do you use, and what are the measurement units)?

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Discussion

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“Measure what can be measured, and make measurable what cannot be measured.”

— Galileo Galilei

Topic 1: Measurement in Your Daily Life: Uses, Tools, and Challenges

You use different forms of measurement throughout your daily life, at home, at work, and in other day to day activities. For example, when brewing a pot of coffee in the morning, both the water and the coffee grounds must be measured to create a cup (or two) to start off the day. On the drive to work, or school, you also must consider the time of day and associated traffic, the distance to travel, and the amount of gas in the tank of the car.

Reflect on your daily life and think about the various ways in which you use measurement. Then, discuss the following.

  • Choose something that you measure on a daily basis. What do you measure and how do you measure it (what tool or device do you use, and what are the measurement units)? How is this measurement important or necessary within your daily life?
  • What would the consequences be if your measurements were inconsistent or incorrect? In science and in your daily life, what are the advantages of precise and accurate measurement?
  • Are there ways in which technology could help you to perform this measurement differently and perhaps with more accuracy or precision? Explain.
  • Do other people use the same system of measurement as you? If not, how else do they make this measurement?
  • Think back to this week’s Reading, including the section on Units and Numbers. How could standardized measurement improve your own measurement practices? Why is standardized measurement important within specific fields of science? Try to focus on one field (medicine, environmental science, geology, etc.) and provide an example of how standardized measurement allows for scientists to both clearly communicate their results as well as record their observations.