Motivation and emotion/Book/2024/Inner voice and motivation

Inner voice and motivation:
How does the inner voice influence motivation?

Overview

Sarah (see Figure 1), an avid runner, has set a goal to complete her first marathon. Sarah encounters various physical and mental challenges during her training. She begins to notice an increase in negative thoughts, especially during the more gruelling training sessions. Thoughts like "I can't do this" and "I'm too tired to keep going" start become more frequent. However, Sarah's coach introduces her to the concept of strategic self-talk. By consciously altering her inner dialogue to include statements like "I am strong" and "I can push through," Sarah begins to see a shift. Her perception of effort decreases, her endurance improves, and she finds herself more motivated to stick to her training plan. On race day, despite the physical exhaustion, Sarah draws on her positive inner voice, which helps her maintain energy, stay focused on her goal, and persist through the final, most challenging kilometres to cross the finish line.

The inner voice is a psychological phenomenon that refers to the inner dialogue that individuals engage in within their mind. It is this voice that can influence motivation, such as aiding or hindering the process of initiating a behaviour, setting a goal, and maintaining long-term commitment to goals, particularly in the face of setbacks. It also plays a crucial role in assessing the perceived effort and value associated with a behaviour.

This book chapter aims to explore the ways that the little voice inside our head influences ones motivation. Through psychological theory and research, this book chapter will uncover the positive and negative influence of the inner voice on motivation, strategies for improving motivation, the practical applications for these solutions and individual differences that impact the use of the inner voice.

Focus questions:

How does the inner voice influence an individual’s perception of effort during challenging tasks, and what impact does this have on their motivational energy?
In what ways can strategic self-talk be used to enhance goal setting and improve the direction of behaviour towards achieving specific outcomes?
What role does the inner voice play in maintaining persistence in the face of setbacks, and how can it be leveraged to reinforce long-term commitment to goals?

What is the inner voice?

Inner voice (IV), internal dialogue or self-talk are some of the terms that are used to refer to the personal experience of verbal language expressed internally, without external articulation (Alderson-Day & Fernyhough, 2015).
It has been proposed to play an integral part in a range of cognitive functions and the regulation of behaviour. (Alderson-Day & Fernyhough, 2015; Fernyhough & Borghi, 2023).
This inner dialogue plays a crucial role in shaping motivation, influencing how individuals manage their energy, set goals, and persist in tasks, especially if they are challenging (Hatzigeorgiadis et al., 2011; Fernyhough & Borghi, 2023).
The methodological challenges that arise with the study of the IV have previously hindered the empirical study of the inner voice. However, the emergence of modern methodological innovations have made the phenomenon easier to investigate, thus pushing the field forward (Fernyhough & Borghi, 2023).

Dialogical self theory

One theory that expands on the idea on the inner voice is the Dialogical Self Theory (DST) (Hermans, 1996). This theory postulates that internal dialogue consists of multiple "I-positions" that hold different parts of oneself and different point of views which then communicate (Oleś et al., 2020).
The dynamic interplay between these inner voices influences how motivation is sustained and directed over time.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) focuses on replacing maladaptive thoughts predominantly through repeating constructive self-statements in ones mind (Uhrich, 2016).
The inner voice can help manage emotions by reframing negative thoughts, encouraging persistence, or celebrating small victories, thereby influencing motivation.

Motivation

Motivation is the internal process that gives behaviour its energy, direction and persistence (Reeves, 2018). Energy refers to the intensity and vigour behind a behaviour. Direction refers to the focus of the behaviour, aimed at achieving specific goals or outcomes. Persistence refers to the continuation of behaviour across different times and situations.
It is the driving force behind every action, from basic survival needs like eating and sleeping to the pursuit of complex personal goals such as career advancement or artistic achievement.
Baumeister (2015)argues that, fundamentally, motivation is the state of desiring change either within oneself or in one's environment.
The factors that precede and shape motivation are needs, cognitions and emotions (Reeves, 2018).
define intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation

Inner voice and motivational energy

A model that is useful in the pursuit of understanding how the inner voice impacts a behaviours strength is the psychobiological model. The model proposes that endurance performance (need definition) is predicated on two factors: the perception of effort (how strenuous an endurance task feels) and potential motivation (the amount of effort individuals are willing to invest in achieving a goal) (Galanis & Hatzigeorgiadis, 2020).
The inner voice can modulate both of these factors, and is suggested to influence the reduction or cessation of a challenging task.
Several studies have demonstrated that strategic motivational self-talk, has been shown to positively influence endurance performance by lowering perceived exertion (Barwood et al., 2015; Blanchfield et al., 2014; Wallace et al., 2017).
Give examples of strategic self-talk
The findings suggest self-talk can be a powerful tool for enhancing endurance and maintaining energy levels in demanding tasks.

Inner voice and direction

Plays a crucial role in clarifying and reinforcing goals
Ability to reinforce approach-orientated goals and reduce avoidance-oriented behaviours (Latinjak et al., 2019)
Strategic self talk (if-then planning) shows enhanced decision-making and execution of complex tasks (Latinjak et al., 2019).
In an educational setting, self-talk was used to set and reinforce goals, often used to assert the importance of learning and the consequences of disengagement. For example, the children would tell themselves that they would get rewarded for finishing their work. Alternatively, they would expressing to themselves that they may get punished for not finishing the work. (Flanagan & Symonds, 2021).

Case study:

Emily, an 8-year-old student, often struggles with math and feels frustrated when faced with difficult problems. Her teacher encourages her to use her inner voice to stay motivated. Emily starts telling herself, "If I finish this, I can play later," or "If I don’t do this, I might miss out on recess."

One day, when Emily encounters a challenging math assignment, she feels the usual frustration but quickly uses her self-talk strategy. By reminding herself of the rewards for completing her work and the consequences of not doing it, she pushes through and finishes her homework. This small success boosts her confidence and helps her stay motivated in future tasks.

Inner voice and persistence

A study done by Flanagan and Symonds (2021) showed that children in middle childhood effectively use self-talk to cope with academic challenges. They employed a range of self-talk strategies such as self-encouragement, commitment, and reduction of task cost. These strategies are aligned with the psychobiological model, where inner dialogue helps reduce perceived exertion and enhances endurance.
Mention studies which showcase that inner dialogue promotes growth mindset which has been largely shown to sustain motivation.

Quiz yourself!

Conclusion

This chapter delved into the intricate relationship between the IV and motivation, focusing on how it influences energy, direction and persistence of behaviour.
The role of inner dialogue in regulating perceived effort and value of a behaviour, the impact of goal-setting, and its effectiveness in sustaining persistence through self-talk strategies were explored.
Key findings underscore the inner voice as a powerful cognitive tool that enhances endurance, refines goals, and reinforces long-term commitment.
Ultimately, research in the intersection of the IV and motivation is an exciting growth area of research. The practical applications can allow us to harness this inner dialogue, significantly improving motivation and resilience in achieving complex tasks.

References

Alderson-Day, B., & Fernyhough, C. (2015). Inner speech: Development, cognitive functions, phenomenology, and neurobiology. Psychological Bulletin, 141(5), 931–965. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000021

Blanchfield, A. W., Hardy, J., de Morree, H. M., Staiano, W., & Marcora, S. M. (2014). Talking yourself out of exhaustion: The effects of self-talk on endurance performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 46(5), 998-1007. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000184

Barwood, M. J., Corbett, J., Wagstaff, C. R. D., McVeigh, D., & Thelwell, R. C. (2015). Improvement of 10-km time-trial cycling with motivational self-talk compared with neutral self-talk. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 10(2), 166-171. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2014-0059

Baumeister, R. F. (2016). Toward a general theory of motivation: Problems, challenges, opportunities, and the big picture. Motivation and Emotion, 40(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-015-9521-y

Galanis, E., Hatzigeorgiadis, A., (2020). Self-talk mechanisms. In A.T. Latinjak & A. Hatzigeorgiadis (Eds.), Self-talk in sport (pp.136-154). Routledge. 978-0-429-46062-3

Fernyhough, C., & Borghi, A. M. (2023). Inner speech as language process and cognitive tool. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 27(12). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2023.08.014

Flanagan, R. M., & Symonds, J. E. (2021). Self‐talk in middle childhood: A mechanism for motivational resilience during learning. Psychology in the Schools, 58(6), 1007–1025. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22484

Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Zourbanos, N., Galanis, E., & Theodorakis, Y. (2011). Self-Talk and Sports Performance. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6(4), 348–356. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691611413136

Hermans, H. J. M. (1996). Voicing the self: From information processing to dialogical interchange. Psychological Bulletin, 119(1), 31–50. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.119.1.31

Latinjak, A. T., Torregrossa, M., Comoutos, N., Hernando-Gimeno, C., & Ramis, Y. (2019). Goal-directed self-talk used to self-regulate in male basketball competitions. Journal of Sports Sciences, 37(12), 1429–1433. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018.1561967

Oleś, P. K., Brinthaupt, T. M., Dier, R., & Polak, D. (2020). Types of Inner Dialogues and Functions of Self-Talk: Comparisons and Implications. Frontiers in Psychology, 11(227). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00227

Reeve, J. M. (2018). Understanding motivation and emotion (7th ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Uhrich, B. B. (2016). The power of our inner voice: The predictive validity of self-talk - ProQuest. Proquest. https://www.proquest.com/docview/1868419275?%20Theses&fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar&sourcetype=Dissertations%20

Wallace, P. J., Williamson, C., James, M., & Milanovic, Z. (2017). Effects of motivational self-talk on endurance and cognitive performance in the heat. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 49(8), 1734-1741. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001269