TOPIC 5: MOTIVATION

Definition of Motivation

Motivation, forces acting either on or within a person to initiate behaviour. The word is
derived from the Latin term motivus (“a moving cause”), which suggests the activating properties
of the processes involved in psychological motivation.

The term motivation describes why a person does something. It is the driving force
behind human actions. Motivation is the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-
oriented behaviors.

Motivation is not typically measured directly but rather inferred as the result of
behavioral changes in reaction to internal or external stimuli. It is also important to understand
that motivation is primarily a performance variable. That is, the effects of changes in motivation
are often temporary. An individual, highly motivated to perform a particular task because of a
motivational change, may later show little interest for that task as a result of further change in
motivation.

Types of motivation

The two main types of motivation are frequently described as being either extrinsic or
intrinsic.

Extrinsic motivation arises from outside of the individual and often involves external rewards
such as trophies, money, social recognition, or praise.

Intrinsic motivation is internal and arises from within the individual, such as doing a
complicated crossword puzzle purely for the gratification of solving a problem.

Why Motivation Is Important

Motivation serves as a guiding force for all human behavior. So, understanding how motivation
works and the factors that may impact it can be important for several reasons.

• Increase your efficiency as you work toward your goals

• Drive you to take action
• Encourage you to engage in health-oriented behaviors
 • Help you avoid unhealthy or maladaptive behaviors, such as risk-taking and addiction
• Help you feel more in control of your life
• Improve your overall well-being and happiness

Classification of Motives

Primary Motives:

Primary motives are essential for survival. They must be satisfied first before we can take
up any other activity. Primary motives come to action when the physiological balance of the
body is upset.

• Hunger or Thirst drive:

When an organism experiences hunger or thirst, certain biological changes occur in the
body. Once the hunger/thirst is fulfilled, the physio-logical balance or homeostasis is
restored. Respiratory drive is the drive for air or oxygen. If oxygen supply is not there even
for a moment, it may result in brain damage, loss of memory and loss of control on one’s
body.

• Sleep:

Sleep drive occurs usually at regular intervals for a person. Lack of sleep or inade-quate sleep
over long periods can result in confusion, attention deficit, muscle tremors and increased
sensitivity to pain. The metabolism rate drops during sleep regenerating energy.

• Maternal drive:

Maternal behaviour is instinctive in nature. It is unlearned. Physiological drive causes

maternal behaviour. Maternal drive is caused by prolactin, a hormone secreted by pituitary.

Social/Learned/Secondary Motives:

Human life has not only just biological aspect but also social aspect. Hence human
behaviour is activated by the following social motives.

1. Achievement motives

2. Affiliation motives
3. Aggression motives

4. Power motives

5. Curiosity motives.

These are called social motives since they develop as a result of relationships with people.

• Achievement motives:

They refer to a drive towards some standards of excellence. People with high-level
achievement motives prefer tasks that would promise success and are moderately difficult. David
C McClelland has found that while high achievers tend to succeed, low achievers tend to avoid
failures.

High achievers challenge failures and work harder while low achievers accept failures
and go for less difficult tasks. High achievers prefer personal responsibility and like to get
feedback about their works.

• Affiliation motives:

Man cannot exist in isolation. The need to be with other people is known as affiliation
need. This need is revealed through one’s attraction to others through friendship, sociability or
group membership. They make more local phone calls, visits and seek approvals of others.

• Aggression motives:

Intense frustrations after high expectations, verbal and nonverbal insults, fear and anxiety
can trigger aggression. Television and cinema depicting violence can make youngsters model
themselves to aggressive behaviour.

Psychoanalysts maintain that each individual, as part of his biological inheritance,

possesses destructive death urges as well as constructive life urges. In most of us, a favourable
balance exists between life and death urges so that kindness triumphs over cruelty. Social
learning and conditioning are the ways in which hostile aggression may be learned.
 • Power motives:

Social power is defined as the ability of an individual to produce intended effect on the
behaviour or emotions of other people. Persons with power motives will be concerned with
having impact, influence and reputation.

They exercise their power by joining political parties, voluntary organizations, and
associating themselves with prominent and popular men. They select jobs which have an impact
on others and dominate weaker sections of the society. They often try to convince others, and
play more competitive sports.

Theories of Motivation

Motivation is a huge field of study. Psychologists have proposed many different theories
of motivation. Some of the most famous motivational theories include the following:

1. Maslow’s Theory of Hierarchical Needs

Abraham Maslow postulated that a person will be motivated when all his needs are fulfilled. He
demonstrated this by creating a pyramid to show how people are motivated and mentioned that
one cannot ascend to the next level unless lower level need are fulfilled. The lowest level needs
in the pyramid are basic needs and unless these lower-level needs are satisfied people do not look
at working toward satisfying the upper-level needs.

Below is the hierarchy of needs:

• Physiological needs: are basic needs for survival such as air, sleep, food, water, clothing,
and shelter.

• Safety needs: Protection from threats, deprivation, and other dangers (e.g., health, secure
employment, and property)

• Social (belongingness and love) needs: The need for association, affiliation, friendship,
and so on.

• Self-esteem needs: The need for respect and recognition.

 • Self-actualization needs: The opportunity for personal development, learning, and
fun/creative/challenging work. Self-actualization is the highest-level need to which a
human being can aspire.

2. Self-determination Theory

Self-determination theory suggests that people are motivated to grow and change by three
innate and universal psychological needs. According toself-determination theory (developed by
Psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, 1985), people need to feel the following in order
to achieve psychological growth:

• Competence: People need to gain mastery of tasks and learn different.

• Connection or Relatedness: People need to experience a sense of belonging and
attachment to other people.
• Autonomy: People need to feel in control of their own behaviors and goals.

3. Social Cognitive Theory

The Social Cognitive Learning Theory acknowledges the constant interaction that exists
between the individual and his or her environment, both structural and social, to shape behavior.
 Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) describes the influence of individual experiences, the
actions of others, and environmental factors on individual health behaviors.

Human behavior is determined by;

• Cognitive Factors (Personal Factors): Knowledge, expectations skills, attitudes.

• Environmental Factors: Social norms, access in community, influence on others (ability
to change own environment).
• Behavioral Factors: Skills, practice, Self- efficacy.

4. Expectancy Theory

Expectancy theory of motivation was developed by Victor H. Vroom in 1964and

extended by Porter and Lawler in1968. The theory is based on the assumption that our behavior
is based on making a conscious choice from a set of possible alternative behaviors. According to
Expectancy theory, the behavior we choose will always be the one that maximizes our pleasure
and minimizes our pain.

• EFFORT: Can I hit my targets if I work hard?

• PERFORMANCE: Will hitting my targets leads to rewards?
• REWARD: Do i find the rewards desirable?