Blog Post #9

Throughout all of survivor, motivation has been an extremely important factor in affecting how participants play the game. In the second challenge, Jeff begins to present different plates of food in front of the members in order to tempt them to give up and lose the challenge. As they struggle to hold on, Jon is the first that gives into Jeff’s offering, and he immediately gives up immunity at tribal council. Offering food to the group manipulates them into giving up because they have been hungry for days and desperately need food for energy. This takes into account Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in that it plays on the contestants physiological needs for food and drink. Jon is then followed by many others; all of them being persuaded and motivated by the need for nourishment.

Later in the episode, Reed begins to use his own strategies to persuade the others to vote for Jon at tribal council. He reveals that he wants to rally people together and offer them the idea because he believes Jon has become too comfortable in the game. This was particularly evident as he was the first to give up in the immunity challenge. Jon is an obvious threat to everyone in the competition as everyone has the impression that he is the “alpha” of the group. Reed wants to change this by offering members a sense of choice. He proposes the idea to the others so that they have the impression that their opinions and votes could drastically change the competition and that they can make a difference overall. Therefore, the members will each feel a sense of progress which is another key reason for motivation within a group. They will not only further themselves in the competition, but they will also be able to accomplish a goal they set together to change the course of the entire game.