Fear: The Motivational Sheep in a Wolf’s Clothing Fear is one of the six basic and universal emotions taught in classrooms today (Deckers, 2014). The standard physiological reactions to fear are well known and know no cultural restrictions. These include sweaty palms, increased heart rate, and dryness of mouth, among others. However, the definition and description of fear is no simpler than any other emotion and goes far beyond these physical responses. In fact, fear frequently manifests itself without any physical response that is noticeable on the outside. Most often it can be found in the human mind, in the form of small negative thoughts that aren’t always recognized as fear. These thoughts reside in the minds of dieters who restrict their
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The same people could accomplish these exact results by eating and exercising for health and fitness, cessation of substance use to improve relationships, or by mastering subject material to improve homework and test performance, but for a lot of people these more positive approaches don’t ever seem to hit the radar. Some research indicates that activating or appealing to fears, is not an effective method of motivating behavior. However, other research shows that even when negative, fear is a very compelling motivator and often results in a positive direction, making it a veritable sheep in a wolf’s clothing.
In one particular experiment, on fear of failure, Bartels and Ryan (2013) demonstrated important correlations between fear of failure and performance, alleging that avoidance is the overwhelming concern of the individual who is driven by fear of failure. According to Bartels and Ryan (2013), fear of failure is largely generated by smaller fears like …show more content…
In this investigation of 132 secondary students, Putwain and Symes (2011) examined whether fear appeals in the class room actually motivated better performance or merely increased anxiety and fear of failure in the students. The term fear appeal refers to the instructor’s emphasis on the negative consequences of doing poorly on what is considered an extremely important mathematics examination required for graduation and future access to employment opportunities in the United Kingdom. Fear appeals operate on the belief that focusing on the negative consequences of bad performance on the test will motivate them to work harder to prepare for it. Use of fear appeals was measured by the Teacher’s Use of Fear Appeals questionnaire, which assessed frequency of use and perception of threat from the perspective of the students. Results were then compared with test-anxiety scores, assessing levels of anxiety about the exam, and scores from an Achievement Goals Questionnaire, which measured approach versus avoidance behaviors. They concluded no clear causal relationship between the use of fear appeals and test performance, and only some correlation between use of fear appeals and increased test-related anxiety, which were contingent on how each
The same people could accomplish these exact results by eating and exercising for health and fitness, cessation of substance use to improve relationships, or by mastering subject material to improve homework and test performance, but for a lot of people these more positive approaches don’t ever seem to hit the radar. Some research indicates that activating or appealing to fears, is not an effective method of motivating behavior. However, other research shows that even when negative, fear is a very compelling motivator and often results in a positive direction, making it a veritable sheep in a wolf’s clothing.
In one particular experiment, on fear of failure, Bartels and Ryan (2013) demonstrated important correlations between fear of failure and performance, alleging that avoidance is the overwhelming concern of the individual who is driven by fear of failure. According to Bartels and Ryan (2013), fear of failure is largely generated by smaller fears like …show more content…
In this investigation of 132 secondary students, Putwain and Symes (2011) examined whether fear appeals in the class room actually motivated better performance or merely increased anxiety and fear of failure in the students. The term fear appeal refers to the instructor’s emphasis on the negative consequences of doing poorly on what is considered an extremely important mathematics examination required for graduation and future access to employment opportunities in the United Kingdom. Fear appeals operate on the belief that focusing on the negative consequences of bad performance on the test will motivate them to work harder to prepare for it. Use of fear appeals was measured by the Teacher’s Use of Fear Appeals questionnaire, which assessed frequency of use and perception of threat from the perspective of the students. Results were then compared with test-anxiety scores, assessing levels of anxiety about the exam, and scores from an Achievement Goals Questionnaire, which measured approach versus avoidance behaviors. They concluded no clear causal relationship between the use of fear appeals and test performance, and only some correlation between use of fear appeals and increased test-related anxiety, which were contingent on how each