I'm just strumming away at my guitar. I know I'm making progress but now as I watch other's play I'm completely amazed at their ability. It has a brought a whole new appreciation to music.
I haven't infused my occupation into my daily routine, per say. I just play when I want a break from computer work. But I think I waffle between autonomous and controlled motivation. I began the class feeling controlled to practice. Now I play because I enjoy it but there is the looming external pressure of having to for this class. At this point in the semester, however, I understand that I probably could get away with not practicing an hour a week. But I still have the motivation to do it. I do find enjoyment in the activity. It's relaxing to sing and play and recreate songs I love (as battered as they are). The test will be when the class is over. However, I think there will still be social expectations to practice from my family since they've come to expect it as part of our home or "place". Specifically, it is part of the room that we spend most of our time in together.
The Half Man, Full Life video was pretty fascinating. I can't remember the man's name (Jesse?), but he determined to be fully engaged in life. He did this through occupation - owning a business and installing satellite dishes, opening a thrift store, marrying, having a child, driving.... I think what related most to occupational science was his form, function and meaning to functional mobility. Doctors thought it was in his best interest to have prosthetic legs because that was what he was physically missing. But the reality, as he pointed out, was that they were way too cumbersome. "Legs" didn't have meaning to him, but mobility and fitting in did. The prosthetics inhibited his mobility instead of freeing it and while he may have looked a little more like a typical child, he could not move like one and struggled with other occupations like toileting. While great in concept, the reality of the prosthetics was completely different. He preferred other modes of moving himself through the environment and did so with great ease, doing things most could not imagine him physically capable of.
dibs!
ReplyDeleteLiz-
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your fascination of watching other's who play the guitar well. I recommend "crazy on you" by Heart- (the live video circa 1970's) if you haven't already watched it, it will blow your mind!
You discuss that this occupation that was once a controlled motivation, has now become more of an autonomous motivation for you. According to Deci & Ryan, people are inclined to internalize and integrate within themselves the activities that were initially prompted or regulated by external factors. They then go on to say that identification eventually leads to integration. Do you feel that this concept of integration (extrinsically motivated behaviors become truly autonomous and self-determined) applies to you yet or do you still feel you are in the stage of identification (identifying with the value of the activity and willingly accept responsibility for regulating the behavior)? If you still feel you are in the identification stage, do think you'll ever fully reach integration?
Hey Lacey!
ReplyDeleteTo be perfectly honest, I didn't really understand the difference between the two as explained by Deci and Ryan. It's such a short paragraph in the paper. But I'd guess I'm working into integration because I do feel volition and choice in the matter now. But I"m left wondering what is the difference between accepting the regulations of the values of a behavior and fully integrating the values of the behavior?