Am I misunderstanding, or are you claiming that motivation is purely an inherited trait?
Misunderstanding. Expanding the context slightly:
I agree. I think it is quite obvious that ability is always somewhat heritable (otherwise we could raise our pets as humans), but this effect is usually minimal enough to not be evident behind the screen of either random or environmental differences. I think this applies to motivation as well!
It doesn’t. (Unfortunately.)
When it comes to motivation the differences between people are not trivial. When it comes the particular instance of difference between the sexes there are powerful differences in motivating influences. Most human motives are related to sexual signalling and gaining social status. The optimal actions to achieve these goals is significantly different for males and females, which is reflected in which things are the most motivating. It most definitely should not be assumed that motivational differences are purely cultural—and it would be astonishing if they were.
The optimal actions to achieve these goals is significantly different for males and females.
Are you speaking from an evolutionary context, i.e. claiming that what we understand to be optimal is hardwired, or are you speaking to which actions are actually perceived as optimal in our world?
You make a really good point—one I hadn’t thought of but agree with—but since I don’t think that we behave strictly in a manner that our ancestors would consider optimal (after all, what are we doing at this site?), I can’t agree that sexual and social signaling’s effect on motivation can be considered a-cultural.
Misunderstanding. Expanding the context slightly:
It doesn’t. (Unfortunately.)
When it comes to motivation the differences between people are not trivial. When it comes the particular instance of difference between the sexes there are powerful differences in motivating influences. Most human motives are related to sexual signalling and gaining social status. The optimal actions to achieve these goals is significantly different for males and females, which is reflected in which things are the most motivating. It most definitely should not be assumed that motivational differences are purely cultural—and it would be astonishing if they were.
Are you speaking from an evolutionary context, i.e. claiming that what we understand to be optimal is hardwired, or are you speaking to which actions are actually perceived as optimal in our world?
You make a really good point—one I hadn’t thought of but agree with—but since I don’t think that we behave strictly in a manner that our ancestors would consider optimal (after all, what are we doing at this site?), I can’t agree that sexual and social signaling’s effect on motivation can be considered a-cultural.