Compelling Whys
A Compelling Why (CW) is the term used in this course for an emotionally linked reason or motive that drives a person to want to learn, to commit information to long-term memory, and then recall it when desired.
Compelling Whys (CWs) are universal. All of your conscious and unconscious reasons for being involved in the learning process (or doing most anything you do in life) can be considered CWs. They are the reasons you give for what you think and what you do. They are the motivation behind your conscious and unconscious thoughts and behaviors. CWs result from certain inherent needs that must be met for you to live life successfully.
You each bring your own CWs to the events in your lives. You many not be aware of what propels you into certain behaviors, however, because some of your CWs are unconscious.
You create your own CWs (reasons for action) to satisfy certain needs that all humans want to have fulfilled. Your Compelling Whys for doing certain things, such as going to work, may differ because each of you is attempting to satisfy different needs at different times.
Two psychologists have suggested that there are certain needs that all humans must have met. These needs drive your behavior, and they are what you base your Compelling Whys upon, both consciously and unconsciously.