Some riffs on
Dr. Paul Baard's (Fordham U.) analysis of "self determination" theory, applied to the current Democratic race.
In this framework, there are Three basic kinds of motivation (and three corresponding electoral blocs):
- Intrinsic (Integration, no pressure, buy-in, adoption) If you were buying a car, you'd find this at a Saturn car dealership. The Dean Campaign's "you have the power" is the ultimate Instrinsic statement. People 'buy in' to the campaign and make it their own. They're active in defining and voting in their own best interests.
- Extrinsic (avoiding ill consequences, response to external pressure, manipulation) If you were buying a car, you'd find this at most used-car dealers. Primary motivation behind the Anyone But Bush phenomenon - responding to external pressure, fear of losing 2004 election causes a mad rush to support any frontrunner. This support (and purchasing behavior) is a mile wide but an inch deep, prone to long-lasting dissatisfaction and a slide into the third category..
- Amotivation (rejection of previous Extrinsic Motivation messages, rejection of coercion, dropping out. cyricism.) These people opt to ride bikes and walk because buying a car is such a terrible experience. 50% of eligible Americans no longer vote because they are turned off by politics or convinced it makes no difference to their everyday lives. These are the people Dean has wanted to reach out, to give them a "reason to vote again".. arguably it includes Republicans whose children need good schools and healthcare also.
Analysis: Dean and Trippi (and to some extent, Edwards) have been on the right track. The best motivator is Intrinsic. Extrinsic is the old way and has resulted in huge numbers of Amotivateds. Dean has reached out to Amotivateds and motivated them with an Intrinsic message.
The question is: Why does so much of America still respond to Extrinsic? Are they truly looking for a despot to rule over them, or are they simply reacting to years of Extrinsic messages, jaded and cynical themselves? Can we reach enough Amotivateds to bring Intrinsic to ascendancy? Can Extrinsics be brought to the Intrinsic camp?