Role of Motivation in Learning: A Semiotic Analysis of 3 Idiots. Malik Haqnawaz Danish 1, Shazia Ijaz 2

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1 Lyallpur Historical & Cultural Research Journal December 2016, Vol. 2, No. 2 [74-83] ISSN Print ISSN Online Role of Motivation in Learning: A Semiotic Analysis of 3 Idiots Malik Haqnawaz Danish 1, Shazia Ijaz 2 Abstract Motivation is the key factor in learning process. Both extrinsic and intrinsic types of motivation are needed for better learning. Intrinsic motivation is more essential than extrinsic motivation. It is intrinsic motivation that urges a learner to learn with devotion, enthusiasm, concentration and with remarkable outcomes. This case study has been conducted to highlight the role of both types of motivation and draws conclusion how intrinsic motivation is more helpful in the learning.the movie, 3 Idiots has been semiotically analyzed to investigate the theme of motivation in the process of learning. The analysis has been done by using semiotic model of signification by Ferdinand de Saussure. The images in the movie have been selected for the semiotic analysis. All of the main characters are, in one way or the other motivated, or not, towards the learning process. Key words: Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, learning process, Ferdinand de Saussure, Introduction semiotics. Motivation predicts and explains the students behavior in the settings of an institution. Therefore, it has an important part to play in educational psychology. The English word motivation has its etymological roots in the Latin word movere, which means to move. Motivation is defined as the energization and direction of behavior (Salkind Neil J. 2008, p. 686). In the recent years, the focus has been shifted from teacher based learning to student based learning in education. In teaching and learning process, more concentration is given to make students less dependent on the teacher and more autonomous. Motivation is a basic and essential part of learning (Brewer & Burgess, 2005, p. 24). The performance of the learners can be enhanced by motivating them and those who are better motivated, perform better. This phenomenon can be observed by all. The motivation of the preschool children can be observed by the people like parents, family members and teachers that are near to them (Berns, 2001, p. 20).The importance of motivation for).supporting student learning has been recognized by the educational 1 Assistant Professor of English, Govt. Postgraduate College, Gojra. 2 M. Phil Scholar, Linguistic Government College University Faisalabad-Pakistan

2 Role of Motivation in Learning: A Semiotic Analysis of 3 Idiots psychologists for long. More recently, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills has identified initiative as one of the life and career skills necessary to prepare students for post-secondary education and the workforce (Lai Emily R., 2011, p. 4 Language teachers readily acknowledge the importance of learners motivation, not infrequently explaining their own sense of failure with reference to their students lack of motivation (Ellis, 1994, p. 508). Three factors; age, personality and motivation are essential in learning process and motivation is the most important factor of all. Motivation is a state that plays an important role in the learning process. Incentive and reinforcement are two concepts that educational researchers have associated with a behavioral orientation to motivation. Incentive makes a behavior more or less occur. These incentives are both intrinsic and extrinsic to motivate the learners to learn. When students are offered incentives for doing tasks they naturally find motivating, their desire to perform the tasks can actually decrease (Deci, Koestner, &yan, 1999, p. 628). Semiotics is the branch of learning that deals with sign. Everything in this world can be taken as a sign either an image, a word or anything else that delivers denotative or connotative meanings. Ferdinand de Saussure takes language as a one of the systems in semiology. According to Ferdinand de Saussure, language is a system of signs. It organizes the world and makes it comprehensible to us. His theory has been of special interest for the literary theorists and they use it with other theories to better interpret the literary works. It is also used for the analysis and interpretations of the images, written text and videos in the media. The sign theory comprises of a combination of a signifier and a signified. Literature Review Motivation is the enjoyment of school learning characterized by a mastery orientation; curiosity; persistence; task-endogeny; and the learning of challenging, difficult, and novel tasks (Gottfried, 1990, p. 525). Motivation can be taken as cognitive engagement and it voluntarily uses high-level self-regulated learning strategies, such as paying attention, connection, planning, and monitoring (Turner, 1995, p. 413). Motivation has been divided mainly into two kinds; intrinsic and extrinsic. The motivation that is derived through the personal enjoyment, interest, or pleasure is called intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation energizes and sustains activities through the spontaneous satisfactions inherent in effective volitional action. It is manifested in behaviors 75

3 Danish & Ijaz such as play, exploration, and challenge seeking, that people often do for external rewards (Deciet al. 1999, p. 658). In contrast to intrinsic motivation is extrinsic motivation that is arisen by some reinforcement. But intrinsic motivation is considered to be more desirable and results in better learning outcomes than extrinsic motivation (Deciet al.,1999,p.670). In the beginning, the approaches for motivation were originated from the extrinsic reinforcement. B. F. Skinner was the first psychologist who made distinctions in the different kinds of reinforcers. Positive reinforcers, or rewards, are consequences that increase the probability of a given behavior they were made contingent on, whereas negative reinforcers are consequences that increase the probability of a given behavior by removing or reducing some negative external stimulus (Stipek, 1996, p. 86). Many theories of motivation have evolved in the history of educational psychology. These theories include new theories regarding self-efficacy, attributions and self-worth. Self-efficacy theory has judgments of how well one can execute courses of action required to deal with prospective situations. Efficacy is the major determinant of effort, persistence, and goal setting (Bandura, 1982, p. 122). According to this theory, individuals should be more motivated to the extent that they feel they are in control of their own successes and failures (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002, p. 111). Another theory of motivation is attribution theory and it holds the point that the kinds of attribution one can have, measure how much one has motivation. A student s poor performance will result in reduced motivation. Empirical research suggests that those holding effort attributions tend to exhibit more positive learning behaviors, such as goalsetting that focuses on learning rather than performance (Miller &Meece, 1997, p. 292). Another theory is self-worth theory that depicts that students need to believe that they are competent in academic domains to feel they have self-worth in the school context. Students should try to increase their self-worth by making causal attributions that enhance their sense of competence and control (Lai Emily R., 2011, p. 8). The most basic distinction is between intrinsic motivation, which refers to doing something because it is inherently interesting or enjoyable, and extrinsic motivation, which refers to doing something because it leads to a separable outcome (Ryan R. M.et al., 2000, p. 329).

4 Role of Motivation in Learning: A Semiotic Analysis of 3 Idiots Intrinsic motivation is defined as the doing of an activity for its inherent satisfactions rather than for some separable consequence (Ryan R. M. et al., 2000, p. 330) Intrinsic motivation has emerged as important phenomena for educators a natural wellspring of learning and achievement that can be systematically catalyzed or undermined by parent and teacher practices (Ryan & Stiller, 1991, p. 55). Intrinsic motivation is considered more important and resulting in more efficient learning. The phenomenon of intrinsic motivation was first acknowledged within experimental studies of animal behavior, where it was discovered that many organisms engage in exploratory, playful, and curiosity-driven behaviors even in the absence of reinforcement or reward (White, 1959, p. 299). In human beings, intrinsic motivation starts with their birth and they play, learn and explore with their intrinsic and not extrinsic incentives. This is a natural motivation and it functions as an important element in a person s social, psychological, physical and cognitive growth. It is not limited to childhood but this process remains active throughout the life. But still a question arises that some people are intrinsically motivated for some activities while other are not, as everyone is not intrinsically motivated for any specific task. From 1940s to 1960s mainly there were two dominant behavioral theories. The first theory was operant theory by Skinner who proposed that all the behaviors are motivated by the rewards. Even the intrinsically motivated activities were said to be ones for which the reward was in the activity itself (Skinner, 1953, p. 88) In contrast, there was learning theory according to which all the behaviors are motivated by physiological drives (and their derivatives), intrinsically motivated activities were said to be ones that provided satisfaction of innate psychological needs (Hull, 1943, p. 190). Extrinsic motivation is also important and it has many forms. Some of the forms represent active and agentic positions. Extrinsic motivation is a construct that pertains whenever an activity is done in order to attain some separable outcomes. Extrinsic motivation thus contrasts with intrinsic motivation, which refers to doing an activity simply for the enjoyment of the activity itself, rather than its instrumental value. (Lai Emily R., 2011, p. 11)He further elaborates, Intrinsically motivated behaviors, which are performed out of interest and satisfy the innate psychological needs for competence and extrinsically motivated behaviors are those 77

5 Danish & Ijaz that are executed because they are instrumental to some separable consequence can vary in the extent to which they represent self-determination.(lai Emily R., 2011, p. 12) The special social context is necessary to help intrinsic motivation and facilitate internalization and integration of extrinsically motivated tasks. Methodology Semiotics is the science of signs and Ferdinand de Saussure has given the concept of langue and parole. Langue is social rule governed system and parole is the individual speech or performance at specific instance. He has given more importance to langue. In language, the smallest unit is sign that is something which stands for something other for the purpose of communication.000 Saussure has presented sign, composed of a signifier and a signified. The signifier is the sound image and the signified is the concept of the thing presented by the sign or the mental concept triggered by the signifier. There is an arbitrary relationship between them. Sign in itself has no value and the value is derived from a sign s connection with other signs. This is called signification value. There are two types of significant connections presented by Saussure. One is syntagmatic that is horizontal relation and the other is paradigmatic that is vertical relation. Saussure s semiotic theory is a historical and it gives more emphasis on the synchronic analysis. De Saussure (1983), proposed a scientific model of language as a closed system of elements and rules that could be described quite independently from the psychological subjectivity of any particular user of that language. (de Saussure, F. 1983) As this study is a case study, so a movie 3 Idiots has been selected to analyze the effects of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation on the learners in the process of learning and their respective outcomes. The images from the movie have been analyzed by applying the sign, signifier and signified concepts presented by de Saussure in his theory of language. Image Analysis As this study is a case study, so a movie 3 Idiots has been selected to analyze the effects of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation on the learners in the process of learning.

6 Role of Motivation in Learning: A Semiotic Analysis of 3 Idiots Motivation plays an important role in leaning. But the question arises whether the intrinsic or extrinsic motivation is necessary for the better learning. The above images present the example of extrinsic or instrumental motivation. The character is having only extrinsic or instrumental motivation in the movie 3 Idiots. The first two images are the signs of the extrinsic motivation and next two images are the signs of the outcome of the extrinsic motivation. These signs signify the extrinsic motivation of the character. For him, his aim of learning is to achieve luxuries of life. His gesture in first two images signifies his yearning to win Astronaut s pen as a reward. He does whatever he can to win but remains at the second place and could not topple the class. The urge to be the best among the rest remains an illusion, but he gets satisfied at the end by owning the facilities and luxuries he achieves. He could not soothe his inward deficiency at the achievement of the others. His Example proves that extrinsic motivation is very helpful in better learning. 79

7 Danish & Ijaz Another example in the movie of extrinsic motivation is Raju Rastogi s character, who has an old mother, ailing father and a young marriageable sister. These socio-domestic liabilities make him extrinsically motivated towards the necessities of life including proper medical facilities for his father, reasonable income for the household and suitable match for his sister. His devotion towards learning remains in clutches of menace and though he is motivated towards learning, yet he is unable to achieve excellence. These signs in the images signify the duties and burdens upon his shoulders. They signify extrinsic signs and elements that persuade him to learn. This thing works and he becomes able, in the course of time, to get degree and job to support his family but, finally, he was able to shake himself of the fear during the job interview. He dispels his fear and tries to find meanings of his life within himself. He is intrinsically motivated for the interview by his friend, Ranchor Das, to give his life his meanings. His act of disowning the charms, he wears, signifies his desire to be himself. His learning process remains directed towards the achievement extrinsically, but he achieves his goals by shifting his concerns intrinsically. There is another character, FarhanQureshi, with neither intrinsic nor extrinsic motivation for learning. The above images are signs that signify the loss of extrinsic or intrinsic motivation for the studies and his acute desire to be a photographer. His name at the last of the merit list in the examination signifies his least interest in learning. He snaps shots at the sight of a pet as he is intrinsically motivated towards the profession of wildlife photography and not engineering. He remains discontented with his lot and fails to accommodate his self with the environment. The second image signifies his happiness while snapping photos. He fails in heeding studies as he has no intrinsic or extrinsic motivation. The only instinct he works with is his fear of getting failed in the examination. But when he starts doing the things for which he is intrinsically motivated, he gets remarkable results and fame. This is obvious from the image

8 Role of Motivation in Learning: A Semiotic Analysis of 3 Idiots below that signifies his success and happiness in life. His act of giving up his profession of engineering in favor of wild life photography, despite low incentives, is a sign signifying his inner satisfaction needed for his self. He is intrinsically motivated towards photography and yearns to gain heights in doing job of his own choice. He also becomes successful in his profession by attributing his inner desires and confining his abilities towards the things, he is at least motivated to. The last and the most important character in the movie, Rachor Das, has no extrinsic motivation at all the only instinct for learning is his intrinsic motivation. He never feels like being a part of the race everybody is engaged in. His commitment with his self is sign of success, his inner satisfaction and achievement. He is the one who always finds Learning amidst extrinsically centered mechanical learners. He wins out every argument and is rewarded with the student of the year s award. He also replaces ViroSaasBudhy s as the latter clips his astronaut s pen in his shirt for being the one he had been looking for since the day he himself was rewarded with the same pen. The image below is rich in interpretation as the setting displays the discrimination in the setting of the light in the back ground. The moment Rachor Das is rewarded; the back drop is lighted, signifying the enlightenment. The image also signifies the surrender of an age in the hands of intrinsically motivated new generation. 81

9 Danish & Ijaz These images signify that how intrinsic motivation helps in learning and making a person successful. The pen is a sign that signifies triumph. As in the first image it is a sign that signifies extrinsic motivation for the character but he is unable to get it. RachorDashas has intrinsic motivation towards learning and he becomes more successful in the learning process. His achievement is a sign proving that intrinsic motivation is more important and result oriented than the extrinsic motivation. The images below signify that among four characters the most successful character is that one who has been purely intrinsically motivated towards learning and making others learn the same way he did. Though those who have extrinsic motivation are also successful, yet they are not as much successful as compared to him. He acknowledges his claims and dispenses knowledge among the one who were neglected. Conclusion The semiotic analysis of these characters and their motivations presented through signs has proved that motivation is very important in the learning process. Although extrinsic motivation is also important, yet intrinsic motivation is more important in the learning process. When a person is intrinsically motivated, he learns better and with satisfaction of his mind and heart. Among the four characters, the last character is the most successful character who is intrinsically motivated towards learning. He also became a source for expanding his experiences in the young minds of the children. The third character, Farhan Qureshi, also becomes successful when he changes his profession according to his inner desires. The characters extrinsically motivated somehow manage to achieve what was desired but fail to find native instinct towards learning process and explore the inner abilities.

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