paper_Expectancy theory
Expectancy Theory is a process theory of motivation emphasizing individual perceptions of the environment and interactions as a result of personal expectations (Issac, 2001). The theory evaluates the outcomes of employees’ behavior by measuring individual possible actions. Based on three vital factors that are expectancy, instrumentality, and valence, expectancy models help us understand why some employees are more motivated than others. Here is one question arising how this theory can be applied to the group activity.
For the first step, the expectancy is the belief one’s effort will result in attainment of desired performance goals. In the view of this theory, when participants for the group activity received the papers to make a paper airplane, they might have doubted the success of the activity. Some said that even though participants put a lot of effort, it would not result in the successful performance. However, most of them, including our group, went the extra mile by developing their ideas to success the activity. Why did they think differently toward the same performance task? One of the reasons is that the participator group seemed to be likely to feel less comfortable. From the perspective of this theory, participants, putting an extra effort might have had higher self-efficacy that is defined a primary determinant of the expectancy. The reasons they had higher self-efficacy were their past accomplishments, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and emotional cues (Colquitt, Lepine, & Wesson, 2013). From their past experiences, they might have more knowledge of making the airplane. Also, the member of their groups encouraged each other so that they could feel more confident to challenge the task.
The instrumentally, the belief that if one meets performance expectations, he/she will receive a greater reward, is followed after the expectancy. Within the given time limit, the participants focused on how they made the specific style of paper airplanes.
For the first step, the expectancy is the belief one’s effort will result in attainment of desired performance goals. In the view of this theory, when participants for the group activity received the papers to make a paper airplane, they might have doubted the success of the activity. Some said that even though participants put a lot of effort, it would not result in the successful performance. However, most of them, including our group, went the extra mile by developing their ideas to success the activity. Why did they think differently toward the same performance task? One of the reasons is that the participator group seemed to be likely to feel less comfortable. From the perspective of this theory, participants, putting an extra effort might have had higher self-efficacy that is defined a primary determinant of the expectancy. The reasons they had higher self-efficacy were their past accomplishments, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and emotional cues (Colquitt, Lepine, & Wesson, 2013). From their past experiences, they might have more knowledge of making the airplane. Also, the member of their groups encouraged each other so that they could feel more confident to challenge the task.
The instrumentally, the belief that if one meets performance expectations, he/she will receive a greater reward, is followed after the expectancy. Within the given time limit, the participants focused on how they made the specific style of paper airplanes.