**Since we’re still working our way through personality in class, I’ve decided this week we will make a small diversion into talking about motivation for the blog prompt. This material is related to Chapter 11 in the textbook, but we will not be covering this in class. For refinement posts make sure you read Chapter 11 to incorporate material from the text.**

Here are the two prompts for this week. Regardless of which one you choose, please use the tag “Motivation.”

Option 1

America is currently facing an obesity epidemic that some experts have labeled the biggest public health threat we have today. We have all heard the recommendations to eat healthier and get regular exercise. Some people, however, are taking the message of healthy eating too far. A new mental health disorder called orthorexia nervosa has been proposed, in which eating healthy food becomes an obsession. One set of proposed criteria are available here. Look over the criteria and comment on whether or not you think this is a good way to define the boundary between eating healthy and having a mental disorder. Also find two sources that discuss orthorexia and describe what information they add to your opinion on whether this is really a disorder or not. Make sure to include an assessment of each source’s credibility.

Option 2

Motivation is not a stable force, but often waxes and wanes. Throughout your time at Austin College, your motivation for school will undoubtedly be higher at some times and lower at others. How can we use the principals of motivation we discussed in class and read about in the text to help ourselves push through times of low motivation? Specifically, I want you to discuss why you chose to come to Austin College and use 2 different theories of motivation to explain your decision. I also want you to plan an intervention for yourself for how you can maintain motivation to succeed until graduation.

I look forward to seeing what you write!