Cognitive Reflection Paper
Psychology of Human Motivation and Performance
Capella University
Joseph Davis
Breanna Douglas
January 2026
, Part 1:
After days without electricity in Atlanta, my group and I have been walking for hours in
extreme heat with no reliable food, water, or rest. At this point, physical exhaustion has blended
with emotional stress, and I can feel how much harder it is to stay patient, hopeful, and rational.
As a teacher, I am trained to look beneath behavior and ask why someone is acting the way they
are. In this crisis, that mindset becomes essential, because reacting emotionally instead of
thoughtfully could put all of us at risk. For this scenario, I focus on motivating Zoe to share the
food she begged from a house two stops ago, using cognitive theories of motivation to explain
her current behavior, propose a solution, and anticipate changes in behavior.
When Zoe chose not to share the food she received, my immediate reaction was
frustration. I am tired, hungry, and worried about my children at home, and part of me wanted to
think, we are all struggling, why wouldn’t she help? However, I had to pause and reflect. Zoe has
experienced emotional loss on top of physical stress. She traveled to Atlanta for a romantic
weekend, only to be publicly abandoned by her boyfriend during the chaos of the outage. Now
she is alone, vulnerable, and trying to survive. The real issue is not simply that Zoe is holding
onto food. The deeper problem is that our group’s sense of trust and cooperation is breaking
down, which threatens our ability to move forward safely together. Without cooperation, every
decision becomes harder, and survival becomes less likely.
Expectancy-Value Theory provides a clear explanation for Zoe’s behavior. According to
this theory, motivation is shaped by what a person expects will happen and how much they value
Psychology of Human Motivation and Performance
Capella University
Joseph Davis
Breanna Douglas
January 2026
, Part 1:
After days without electricity in Atlanta, my group and I have been walking for hours in
extreme heat with no reliable food, water, or rest. At this point, physical exhaustion has blended
with emotional stress, and I can feel how much harder it is to stay patient, hopeful, and rational.
As a teacher, I am trained to look beneath behavior and ask why someone is acting the way they
are. In this crisis, that mindset becomes essential, because reacting emotionally instead of
thoughtfully could put all of us at risk. For this scenario, I focus on motivating Zoe to share the
food she begged from a house two stops ago, using cognitive theories of motivation to explain
her current behavior, propose a solution, and anticipate changes in behavior.
When Zoe chose not to share the food she received, my immediate reaction was
frustration. I am tired, hungry, and worried about my children at home, and part of me wanted to
think, we are all struggling, why wouldn’t she help? However, I had to pause and reflect. Zoe has
experienced emotional loss on top of physical stress. She traveled to Atlanta for a romantic
weekend, only to be publicly abandoned by her boyfriend during the chaos of the outage. Now
she is alone, vulnerable, and trying to survive. The real issue is not simply that Zoe is holding
onto food. The deeper problem is that our group’s sense of trust and cooperation is breaking
down, which threatens our ability to move forward safely together. Without cooperation, every
decision becomes harder, and survival becomes less likely.
Expectancy-Value Theory provides a clear explanation for Zoe’s behavior. According to
this theory, motivation is shaped by what a person expects will happen and how much they value
