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Character Motivation Through Control-Value Theory

Prompt: In your blog posting for this week, explain the relationship among your character's perceptions of control and values, and specific emotions and motivations. In particular, discuss at least two different time frames, such as perceptions of control and value in the past, present, and/or future and how those relate to your character's motivation and emotions in different aspects of time. Within the Handmaid’s Tale series, June Osborne’s perception of control varies drastically. In the beginning she believes that sheer determination fueled by motherly anger will allow her to achieve her goal. When she later realizes the complexity of achieving her goal of rescuing her daughter and escaping, her motivation spirals. When she accepts how little control she has, she goes through a period of despair and seems hopeless for a while. It is while at this low place that her value begins to be placed on a different objective, rescue those around her and infiltrate the corrupt govern
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Hierarchical Goal Complex: June Osborne

  Explain how your character's motivation aligns with the hierarchical ideas of goal complex.  For example, how does your Character's reason(s) for goal pursuit (such as wanting to please others—i.e., introjected motivation) impact his/her specific goals (e.g., such as mastery avoidance or performance approach)?  My character’s reasoning behind her goal pursuit (protection of her child and revenge on oppressors) impacts her goals in that if she fails, she will be faced with the reality that her current living condition is permanent. Her hope that things can and will return to a normal state is what keeps her going despite insurmountable odds. Her various goals align with different aspects of motivational theory in that some are mastery goals and some are performance based. When she is learning the governmental systems that oppress her in order to break them down from the inside, she is working from a mastery goal, knowing that the only way to succeed is to have flawless perform
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Character Motivation Through Cognitive Evaluation Theory

Explain how your character's motivation aligns with Self-Determination Theory, Organismic Integration Theory, or Cognitive Evaluation Theory First describe the theory , then explain how aspects of the theory played into the motivation of your Character .  For example, you can explain Cognitive Evaluation Theory and then describe how your Character's intrinsic motivation was supported by perceptions of competence, autonomy, and positive relationships, and how these were supported within his/her environment.  Cognitive Evaluation Theory Cognitive Evaluation Theory investigates the effect of external factors on intrinsic motivation. “Cognitive Evaluation Theory asserts that all external events have both a controlling aspect and an informational aspect. The theory also presumes that people have psychological needs for autonomy and competence… It is the controlling aspect of an external event that affects the person’s need for autonomy, whereas it is the informational aspect of an
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Value Component Effects on Character Motivation

Explain how your character's motivation aligns with the value component. Describe the value(s) that drive your Character's motivation. Explain how the value(s) played into the motivation of your Character.  For example, how did your Character's values change over time and how did these influence his/her goal striving over time?  In the Handmaid’s Tale series, June Osbourne’s motivation is ever changing, based on the evolution of her values and priorities. Within the Expectancy-Value model, a person’s expectancy (belief in skills, expectation of success, responsibility, self-efficacy) and values (goals, reasons, incentives, personal values, intrinsic & extrinsic goals) combine to predict an individual’s level of motivation. My character’s motivation aligns with the value component in this example in that the value she places on motherhood and her responsibility to protect her daughter are at the driving force behind her actions.  While the protection of her child is one
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Character Motivation + Expectancy Component & Self Efficacy

Prompt: In this week's blog posting, you should explain how your character's motivation aligns with the expectancy component, particularly focusing on self-efficacy. June Osborne’s motivation aligns with the expectancy component in that she is willing to endure anything to preserve the chance that she will see her daughter again. Throughout the series, as the likelihood of this declines, her motivation shifts from expectancy towards reunification to a desire for revenge. Self efficacy played into this shift in that June believed in her ability to find her daughter. The loss of motivation only happens when she sees that her daughter doesn’t recognize her anymore and has been indoctrinated to see those like her as the enemy. Throughout the series, June’s friends tend to display a growth mindset about their circumstances, while June is more rigid. Her fixed mindset and dedication to revenge at any cost set her back many times within the later seasons.
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Character Emotions Through Appraisal Theory

Post Prompt: This week, you should post about your Character's appraisal(s) that brought about important, specific emotions. Explain how your character's appraisal/emotions align with Appraisal Theories of emotion. What was the appraisal process? Throughout the Handmaid’s Tale series, June Osborne’s emotions are the fuel that drives her decisions. With choosing to focus on a character who develops over five seasons, I will choose to pull most of my observations from season five. This gives room to reflect on who the character was in contrast to who she became. Throughout her struggles, June demonstrates some emotions more than others, including rage, guilt, and sadness.  Looking at these emotions through an appraisal lens, June’s cognition to emotion/action channel is understandable. For example, her rage is fueled by seeing her daughter (previously taken away from her by the corrupt government and given to a new “moral” family) living apart from her, being indoctrinated by evi
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Motivational Analysis (Character, Context and Goals)

Assignment prompt: To set the stage for your motivational analysis, describe your character and context, including your character's goals. For my motivational analysis, I would like to evaluate Offred (also known as June Osborne) from the dystopian series “The Handmaid’s Tale”. The setting is an alternate reality where the United States has been overtaken by a violent government centered around strict morality and control. Offred, a woman who was separated from her family and forced to become a handmaid for a corrupt family, has many dire and complex goals throughout the 5 season series. The primary goals are to 1. escape the physically and emotionally home she has been forced to serve, 2. escape the United States into Canada, and 3. find her husband and young daughter.  I am looking forward to further analyzing this character’s motivation and driving factors.
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