There are many ways of understanding the reasons for one’s motivations. Throughout the centuries, philosophers have attempted to explain this through different ways. Even though through reflection one can attempt to reach some degree of freedom by using one’s pre-frontal cortex, these internal impulses are still there. Two of the most important of these theories are the will and Sigmund Freud’s drives. I have seen the importance of self-regulation throughout my life, and how important rationality may be in stopping the influence of that which one takes for granted as motivation.
Key Points in Bandura's Article
Albert Bandura was one of the most prominent and influential psychologists of the twentieth century. Even though he was trained in psychoanalysis, he later attempted to integrate social learning as the central reason for people’s actions. He believed that observation when one is young models the behaviors that the person will have as an adult. Accordingly, some criticized his theory as deterministic, as the motivation that he proposed was external. Nevertheless, he clarified that he believed that some proportion of self-determination was possible through reflection.
According to him, people are free in the degree that they think rationally about their motivations, instead of the lack of influences and restrictions on the person. “Freedom is not conceived negatively as the absence of external coercion or constraints. Rather, it is defined positively in terms of the exercise of self-influence” (Bandura, p. 1182). In order to do this, Bandura believes that it is imperative for people to explore their own cognitions and influences, in order to be able to take more autonomous decisions.
He believes that the environment itself may be caused by thinking agents, and that people should strive towards self-actualization in this regard. Bandura proposed that one could influence one’s self in order to mold one’s self. The manipulation of one’s cognitions and motivations led to changes in one’s psyche that would make people more aware of their surroundings in order to modify their motivation.
Will and Freud’s Drives: Two Cognitive Theories
In the first of these theories, willpower was seen as the consequence of many factors, both environmental and internal. “Descartes’s hope was that once he understood the will, then an understanding of motivation would inevitably unfold” (“Grand Theories”). Nevertheless, it showed to be almost as complicated as explaining motivation itself. Philosophers had wanted to simplify the problem, yet the only introduced another variable. This led people to seek other ways of understanding motivation, especially those that were psychological in nature.
One of the most prominent of these later proponents was Sigmund Freud, who developed a theory of drives. He believed that everybody was constantly attempting to satisfy their needs in order to maintain psychical energy at a low level. He proposed that when unfulfilled urges accumulate, the person feels anxiety and is led to get rid of this excess energy through action, leading towards physiological and mental satisfaction.
The Pre-Frontal Cortex and Self-Regulation
Neuroscientists have also found that most of self-regulation happens in the pre-frontal cortex. This is the part of the brain that is in charge of rationality, and it has some domain over the subcortical regions that have to do with rewards and sentiments (Heatherton & Wagner, 2011). In this sense, this seems to be the part of the brain that is involved in what Bandura proposed as self-regulation in order to determine one’s self. Willed action comes from the pre-frontal cortex; it is important to take this into account to not rely on only the psychological interpretation of motivation. There is also a biological component that people often disregard, so it is important to mention this.
Personal Motivation
Throughout my life, I have seen the importance and applications of these different theories. I know that I have been determined by my infancy, much as these different theories suggest. When I was a child, I specifically remember my mother constantly leading me towards being a better person by helping each other. Nevertheless, I had to reflect on this and reason that it is not always possible to help other people. Even though I may have the will to do this, there are also limits, as this may come in conflict with the satisfaction of one’s own drives as well. Therefore, it is important to use one’s pre-frontal cortex in order to find the limits with regards to what one was taught as a child.
As a whole, it is important to take all of these theories into account in order to live one’s life to the fullest. Instead of being determined by one’s drives and irrational motivations, reflection allows the person to not be determined by previous social interactions, but by their own rational determinations. By thinking, people can have some sense of control over their decisions, being able to freely decide what they are going to do. This gives people the little bit of freedom that they can reach and that most people think of as motivation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, reflection and rationality are important in stopping the influence of motivation so that one does not respond only to one’s basic instincts guided by one’s childhood experiences. Bandura proposes that only through reflection can one achieve a certain degree of freedom from these influences. This may be done through the pre-frontal cortex, and is not merely psychological. I have seen this throughout my life, as I have constantly had to stop the satisfaction of my parentally-shaped will to help others, so as to satisfy my own drives as well. It is very interesting to see how these theoretical and philosophical questions have immediate and real-world applications.
Reference List
Bandura, A. (1989). Human agency in social cognitive theory. American Psychologist, 44(9), 1175-1184.
“Grand Theories”. Word document.
Heatherton, T. F. & Wagner, D. D. (2011). Cognitive neuroscience of self-regulation failure. Trends in Cognitive Science, 15(3), 132-139.
