Post 4: Sheldon and the Value of Physics

Values play an important role in motivation. One’s motivation can be explained number of personal reasons that is structured internally or externally. In fact, understanding the values are a bit difficult to capture without asking certain questions to the protagonist.

Considering Sheldon Cooper’s motivation to study physics and to become a great one can be explained his value of competence. Reflecting back, desire for autonomy, competence, and relatedness emerge organically in one’s actions. Even though it is a bit challenging to examine one’s value structures, some of the elements altogether might give some idea regarding how Sheldon valued physics and related activities. 

Values can stem from various aspects. First, Sheldon’s values for doing physics is about proving his competence, which Atkinson explain this as achievement motivation. He is always arrogant and humiliating when it comes to demonstrating his competence in general but also particularly at physics. He has this huge desire for achievement. Next, Sheldon also values physics starting from his childhood. Even though it might be difficult to make sense of how Sheldon had began valuing physics, his interest might have been an explanation for his value. If Sheldon would have valued physics just for getting good grade, he would not be able to become a physicist when grade lost its meaning. That is, becoming a physicist neither involves a high-pay nor appraisal from faculty as there are numerous people in his department who are also successful. So, external rewards were not part of his motivation and values for studying physics.

From this perspective, Sheldon seems to be valuing physics itself as a discipline rather than its perks although reputation might be also part of his expectations. These desires seem to be intertwined and impossible to separate for analytical purposes. Competence and enjoyment along with appraisals might be all part of Sheldon’s value structures to become a physicist. 

Sheldon has never ending enjoyment and interest toward physics itself, which has almost never been influenced by external factors. Even failures! Once, Sheldon attended in a physics bowl (a physics competition) against his three colleagues within the same university, Caltech. He lost this competition since he could not give an answer to the final question. Yet, this failure did not push Sheldon away from doing more physics. In contrast, he became even more persistent to do better in his work. He is stubborn when it comes to becoming highly competent in physics. Sheldon gives the impression that he created all the physics and nobody else can understand as much as Sheldon can. This piece demonstrates his academic confidence as a physicist and his ownership on physics knowledge. Seeing how nothing can discourage Sheldon to be a physicist might be evidence that his values are intrinsic and independent from other people’s success or discouragements. In fact, his values help Sheldon to always stay motivated for working harder in spite of challenges.