Main Content
Syllabus
PSYCH 484 Work Attitudes and Motivation (3 credits): Survey of theory and research with respect to attitudes, morale, and motivation of employees and management.
Prerequisite: PSYCH 100; PSYCH 200 or STAT 200 or 6 credits of GQ
Overview
This course is designed to examine issues related to employees' work motivation and job attitudes, and will focus on both the causes and consequences of these constructs. Because there are many different approaches to the study of motivation, the first portion of the course will be spent examining various theories. The latter portion of the course will be devoted to examining the factors that affect motivation and to understanding job attitudes and outcomes. Major topics include the nature of human needs, reward structures, cognitive models of motivation (e.g., expectancy, equity, and goal setting theories), and job attitudes (e.g., satisfaction, commitment).
Objectives
The goals of this course are to:
- define motivation and job attitudes in a work context and understand how individual characteristics, work characteristics, and organizational characteristics are interrelated in motivating workers;
- offer explanations as to what (the factors that motivate), how (mechanisms by which people are motivated), when (under what conditions) and who (individual differences, leaders) of motivation through theories and research presented in the course;
- understand the major components of each motivational approach and assess its strengths and weaknesses;
- evaluate each motivational approach from the perspectives of a scientist (How much research support does the theory have?) as well as a practicing manager (How can/has the theory been utilized in organizations?);
- learn how research is conducted in this area by reading and evaluating journal articles;
- apply the motivational approaches to work settings to understand what improves and hinders employee motivation; and
- compare and contrast approaches to motivation to understand the unique perspective each contributes to an overall understanding of motivation.
Expectations:
Students are expected to have read the articles and lesson readings before completing lesson activities. Some weeks the lesson reading is closely related to text, while other weeks it covers different material. Students can read either the readings or the lesson first. It is expected that everyone will participate in discussion by utilizing message boards and responding to messages that other students have posted. It is also expected that all members of a group will contribute to group work. Make sure not to fall behind on assignments. Assignments and quizzes will only be posted for a short period of time and once they are taken down, you cannot make up the assignment or take the quiz (unless there are legitimate circumstances such as a death in the family, serious illness, etc.).
Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
E-Reserves
This course requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. You can access these materials by selecting Library Resources in your course navigation, or by accessing the Library E-Reserves Search and search for your instructor's last name.
Technical Specifications
For this course we recommend the minimum World Campus technical requirements listed below:
Technical Requirements Operating System Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems.
To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications.
Browser Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using.
Please note that Canvas does not support the use of Internet Explorer. Students and instructors should choose a different browser to use.
To determine if your browser is supported, please review the list of Canvas Supported Browsers.
Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites.Additional Canvas Requirements For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. Additional Software All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Students will need a PDF reader, such as Adobe Reader.
Hardware Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution
Audio: Microphone, Speakers
Camera (optional, recommended): Standard webcam - many courses may require a webcam for assignments or exam proctoring software.Mobile Device (optional) The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements.
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
IT Service Desk
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Quizzes
Each week an open-book quiz will be posted. The questions are usually multiple-choice but there are some true/false questions, too. Quizzes will cover information that was covered in class that week. For example, the quiz in lesson 2 will cover the information presented in the Lesson and readings during that lesson. There will be a total of 12 quizzes that count towards your final grade, there will be 13 available, but your lowest one will be dropped. Quizzes are worth 10 points apiece. The quizzes together are worth 120 points, or approximately 12% of the course grade.
Self-Discovery Assignments
Almost each week, there will be a self-discovery assignment available for you to apply the material to yourself more personally. Often, these will involve you completing surveys related to the theories covered that week. But, the type of activity may vary. There will be 13 options to complete these throughout the semester. Each is worth 20 points. Your top 12 scores will count toward your final grade for a total of 240 points or approximately 24% of your grade.
Project Motivation
As a team, you will conduct a small study to apply what you are learning about motivation to try to change some study participants behavior for the better. There are a number of steps in the project, starting in week 2 of the course with all students completing IRB training. Some weeks require that you rate your teammate’s participation and contributions to the team (weeks 4, 8, and 14), and the individual scores students earn on these portions of the project may vary depending on the feedback provided. The results of your project will be presented to the class as a poster presentation (due week 14). The last week of class (week 15), students will view the projects of all teams in the course and provide peer reviews. For more information about the various steps of this project, see lesson 14 for further instructions. In total, the various parts of this project will be worth 280 points or approximately 28% of your course grade.
Case Analysis Discussions
Almost every week, you will be asked to apply what you have learned about the theory from the lesson commentary and assigned reading to an event in your work history, a situation or story about work you heard from someone else, or an example from history or media (including TV shows, movies, etc.). The case analysis (or original post to the discussion) will have three parts: (1) Describe the situation or case briefly. (2) Apply the lesson material to the case by comparing and contrasting elements of the theory with the details in the situation. And, (3) provide a set of recommendations based on what you have learned. You should keep this in mind as you read the lesson material and assigned readings and think about different situations you might use for this portion of your weekly assignment. Since you are asked for recommendations, it tends to work best to think of the case analyses as presenting problems related to motivation that might be addressed by the theory(ies) covered in that lesson. You will also be asked to reply to a minimum of 2 other students' cases.
There are 14 discussions in total available; the first and final one are mandatory. Your highest scores on 12 of these will count toward your final grade for the course. Each of 12 discussions that go toward your final grade is worth 30 points total for a total of 360 points. This is approximately 36% of the course grade.
Due Dates
Unless otherwise noted, all assignments are due by 11:59pm Eastern Time the last day of the lesson. So for instance, an assignment that addresses the topic in Lesson 3 would be due at 11:59pm the day before Lesson 4 starts.
Late Policy
This is a semester-based course with deadlines. Students are expected to complete work by posted deadlines. Please check the course schedule for the times and dates that assignments are due in this course (times are listed in North American Eastern Time). Please contact your instructor to discuss legitimate and unavoidable situations that may cause lateness (such as illness, injury or family emergency). If you know that you are going to miss a deadline, please contact your instructor in advance of that deadline to discuss an extension (or if you are not able to contact the instructor before the deadline, as soon as you are able). Decisions regarding extensions will be made at the discretion of the instructor on a case-by-case basis.
In the absence of a legitimate and unavoidable situation, late work will be accepted at the discretion of the instructor and will be penalized up to 10% of the total assignment points for each day of lateness. Unless there is a legitimate and unavoidable situation that causes prolonged lateness, work more than 1 week late will not be accepted.
The final grade will be determined as follows:
Grading Categories Assignment Type Points Percentage Quizzes 120 points 12% Self-Discovery Assignments 240 points 24% Project Motivation 280 points 28% Case Analysis Discussions 360 points 36% Totals 1000 Total Points 100% The final grading scale will be as follows:
Final Grading Scale Points Percentage Grade 930-1000 93-100% A 900-929 90-92.99% A- 880-899 88-89.99% B+ 830-879 83-87.99% B 800-829 80-82.99% B- 750-799 75-79.99% C+ 700-749 70-74.99% C 600-699 60-69.99% D 0-599 Below 60% F
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
Course Schedule
Lesson 14: Project Motivation Work Week Readings:
- None
Assignments:
- Step 4 Project Motivation: PPT up-load and team presentation
- Team appraisal for Step 4 (WD Peer Evaluation)
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and others, as well as a civil community.In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Academic Accommodations
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
The purpose of course communication tools is to provide students with a quick method for contacting faculty, teaching assistants, and other students of the class, in regards to course related questions, comments, and concerns. Please note that, according to University policy AD95/AD96, course communication tools may not be used as a method for emailing unauthorized content including but not limited to: solicitation for businesses, advertisements, selling or distributing personal or class materials, transmitting offensive, obscene, or harassing materials, chain letters, news posts, or other forms of “spam” email. Doing so will be considered a violation of course and/or University policies, and might also violate the student code of conduct and the expectations expressed in the Penn State Principles. Resulting penalties might include the suspension or termination of system access, as well as disciplinary or academic sanctions. When appropriate, information about violators will be passed on to University Police Services. If you have any questions in regards to whether or not a particular email you wish to send would violate University policies, please check with your instructor before sending messages to others through the University system.
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.