Introduction
In the world of speech-language pathology, understanding the underlying motivations that drive our explanatory processes can significantly enhance our practice. The research article "Motivated Explanation" by Patterson, Operskalski, and Barbey (2015) provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how motivation influences explanation. This blog explores how practitioners can apply these insights to improve outcomes for children in therapy.
The Role of Motivation in Explanation
The study highlights two types of motivations: epistemic, which seeks accuracy and truth, and directional, which serves other goals such as self-justification or cognitive dissonance resolution. Understanding these motivations is crucial for practitioners who aim to provide accurate and effective explanations to children and their caregivers.
Applying Motivated Explanation in Practice
Practitioners can enhance their skills by:
- Recognizing Bias: Be aware of personal biases that may affect your explanatory processes. This awareness can help mitigate the influence of non-epistemic motivations.
- Fostering Epistemic Motivation: Encourage an environment that values accuracy and truth in explanations. This can be achieved by promoting a culture of curiosity and evidence-based practice.
- Balancing Multiple Goals: Understand that explanations often serve multiple purposes. Strive to balance epistemic and directional goals to provide explanations that are both accurate and meaningful.
Encouraging Further Research
While the current research provides a strong foundation, there is much more to explore. Practitioners are encouraged to engage in further research to understand how different motivational factors interact and influence explanatory processes in diverse settings.
Conclusion
By understanding and applying the principles of motivated explanation, practitioners can improve their explanatory skills, leading to better outcomes for children in therapy. This approach not only enhances the accuracy of explanations but also ensures they are tailored to meet the needs of each child and their family.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Motivated explanation.
