A neurophysiological signature of motivational incongruence: EEG changes related to insufficient goal satisfaction

Human behavior and psychological functioning is motivated and guided by individual goals. Motivational incongruence refers to states of insufficient goal satisfaction and is tightly related to psychological problems and even psychopathology. In the present study, individual levels of motivational incongruence were assessed with the incongruence-questionnaire (INC) in a healthy sample. In addition, multi-channel resting-state EEG was measured. Individual variations of EEG synchronization and spectral power were related to individual levels of motivational incongruence. For significant correlations, the relation to intracerebral sources of electrical brain activity was investigated with sLORETA. The results indicate that, even in a healthy sample with rather low degrees of motivational incongruence, this insufficient goal satisfaction is related to consistent changes in resting state brain activity. Upper Alpha band attenuation seems to be most indicative of increased levels of motivational incongruence. This is reflected not only in significantly reduced functional connectivity, but also in changes regarding the level of brain activation, as indicated by significant effects in the spectral power and LORETA analyses. Results are related to research investigating the upper Alpha band and are discussed in the framework of Grawe's consistency theory.

THE EXPERIENCE OF RESEARCH, GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP OF THE MiTEP PROGRAM

Chapter 1. The Action Research in this report was to focus on improving the reading comprehension of students with expository text in relation to identifying the main idea and supporting details. Students were given an expository text to read and identify main idea and 2 -3 supporting details as a pre assessment. Students were provided instruction and support in DRTA (Directed Reading Thinking Activity) and SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review) methodology to identify the Main Idea and supporting details of a selected expository text for both pre & posttest. Results were compiled and analyzed on the effectiveness of the strategies by overall student growth in accurately identifying the Main Idea and being able to state at least 2 supporting details. Analysis of the data will show that the methods were effective in middle school students’ ability to read and extrapolate the necessary information from expository text. Chapter 2 is a reflective essay on the MiTEP Michigan Teacher Excellence Program and its impact on my teaching practices, lesson delivery and leadership development.