Types of Motives

Types of Motives: Biological, Social and Personal Motives | Psychology
Psychologists have divided motives into three types—Biological motives, social motives
and personal motives!
The goal here may be fulfillment of a want or a need. Whenever a need arises the organism is
driven to fulfil that want or need. If there is no need in the organism, there will be no
behaviour. For example, Horse and water. Horse does not drink water unless it has thirst or if
it is not motivated. Unlike the external stimuli, the motives are limited.
The behaviour to fulfil such needs is mechanical and alike in all the organisms. Hunger is a
motive which stimulates the organism to have food. We develop hunger when the food that
was taken earlier is exhausted.
The need for food drives us to go in search of food and to have it. Here the hunger motive not
only initiated the action, but also continued until the goal (having food) is reached. The
motives are powerful forces.
They do not allow us to stop our action or behaviour until the need is satisfied. Hence, they
are called the ‘dynamos’ of behaviour.
Types of Motives:
Biological Motivation and Homeostasis:

Biological motives are called as physiological motives. These motives are essential for the
survival of the organism. Such motives are triggered when there is imbalance in the body.
The body always tends to maintain a state of equilibrium called “Homeostasis”- in many of
its internal physiological processes.
This balance is very essential for the normal life. Homeostasis helps to maintain internal
physiological processes at optimal levels. The nutritional level, fluid level, temperature level,
etc., are maintained at certain optimal level or homeostasis levels. When there is some
variation in these levels the individual is motivated for restoring the state of equilibrium.
I) Physiological Motives:
a. Hunger motive:
We eat to live. The food we take is digested and nutritional substances are absorbed. The
biochemical processes get their energy from the food in order to sustain life. When these
substances are exhausted, some imbalancement exists.
We develop hunger motive in order to maintain homeostasis. This is indicated by contraction

of stomach muscles causing some pain or discomfort called hunger pangs. Psychologists have
demonstrated this phenomenon by experiments.
b. Thirst motive:
In our daily life regularly we take fluids in the form of water and other beverages. These
fluids are essential for our body tissues for normal functioning. When the water level in the
body decreases we develop motive to drink water.
Usually thirst motive is indicated by dryness of mouth. Experiments by psychologists have

shown that just dried mouth getting wetted is not enough. We need to drink sufficient
quantity of water to satiate our thirst.
c. Need for oxygen:

Our body needs oxygen continuously. We get it through continuous respiration. Oxygen is
necessary for the purification of blood. We cannot survive without regular supply of oxygen.
Lack of oxygen supply may lead to serious consequences like damage to brain or death.
d. Motive for regulation of body temperature:

Maintenance of normal body temperature (98.6°F or 37.0°C) is necessary. Rise or fall in the
body temperature causes many problems. There are some automatic mechanisms to regulate
body temperature, like sweating when the temperature rises above normal or, shivering when
it falls below normal.
These changes motivate us to take necessary steps. For example, opening of windows, put on
fans, take cool drinks, remove clothes, etc., when the temperature increases to above normal
level; and closing doors and windows, wear sweaters, take hot beverages when temperature
falls down. In this way we try to regulate the body temperature.
e. Need for sleep:

Sleep is an essential process for normal functioning of body and mind. When our body and
mind are tired they need rest for rejuvenation of energy. It is observed that there is excess
accumulation of a toxin called ‘Lactic acid’ when tired.
After sleep it disappears and the person becomes active. Sleep deprivation also leads to
psychological problems like confusion, inability to concentrate, droopy eyelids, muscle
tremors, etc.
II) Social Motives:

Physiological motives discussed above pertain to both animals as well as human beings, but
the social motives are specific only to human beings. These are called social motives, because
they are learnt in social groups as a result of interaction with the family and society. That is
why their strength differs from one individual to another. Many social motives are recognised
by psychologists. Some of the common social motives are:
a. Achievement motive:
Achievement motivation refers to a desire to achieve some goal. This motive is developed in
the individual who has seen some people in the society attaining high success, reaching high
positions and standards.
He/she develops a concern to do better, to improve performance. David C Mc Clelland who

conducted a longitudinal study on characteristics of high and low achievers found that the
high achievers choose and perform better at challenging tasks, prefers personal responsibility,
seeks and utilizes feedback about the performance standard, having innovative ideas to
improve performance.
On the other hand, low achievers do not accept challenges, puts on average standards and
accepts failures easily. Parents must try to inculcate leadership qualities in children for better
achievement in their future life.
They must allow children to take decisions independently, and guide them for higher
achievement from the childhood, so that the children develop high achievement motivation.
b. Aggressive motive:
It is a motive to react aggressively when faced frustrations. Frustration may occur when a
person is obstructed from reaching a goal or when he is insulted by others. Even in a fearful
and dangerous do or die situation the individual may resort to aggressive behaviour.
Individual expresses such behaviour to overcome opposition forcefully, which may be
physical or verbal aggression.
c. Power motive:
People with power motive will be concerned with having an impact on others. They try to
influence people by their reputation. They expect people to bow their heads and obey their
instructions.
Usually people with high power motive choose jobs, where they can exert their powers. They
want people as followers. They expect high prestige and recognition from others. For
example, a person may aspire to go for jobs like Police Officer, Politician, Deputy
Commissioner, etc.
III) Personal Motives:

In addition to the above said physiological and social motives, there are some other motives
which are allied with both of the above said motives. These are highly personalized and very
much individualized motives. The most important among them are:
a. Force of habits:
We see different people having formed different habits like chewing tobacco, smoking,
alcohol consumption, etc. There may be good habits also like regular exercising, reading
newspapers, prayers, meditations, etc. Once these habits are formed, they act as drivers and
compel the person to perform the act. The specialty of habits is that, they motivate the
individual to indulge in that action automatically.
b. Goals of life:
Every normal individual will have some goals in the life. They may be related to education,
occupation, income, sports, acquisition of property, public service, social service, etc. Once a
goal is set, he will be motivated to fulfil that goal. The goals people set, depend upon various
factors like knowledge, information, guidance, support, personality, facilities available,
aspirations, family and social background, etc.
d. Attitudes and interests:

Our attitudes and interests determine our motivation. These are specific to individual. For
example, a person within the family, may have positive attitude towards family planning and
all others having negative attitudes.
So also, interests differ from one individual to another. Example, interest in sports, T.V, etc.
Whenever we have a positive attitude, we will have motivation to attain. In negative attitude,
we will be motivated to avoid. If a person is interested in music, he will be motivated to learn
it. In this way, our personal motives determine our behaviour.
Unconscious motivation:
Sigmund Freud, the famous psychologist has explained elaborately about unconscious
motivation. According to him, there are certain motives of which we are unaware, because
they operate from our unconscious.
These motives or desires which are repressed by our conscious remain in our unconscious
and will be influencing our behaviour.
Our irrational behaviour, the slip of tongue, slip of pen, amnesia, multiple personality,
somnambulism, etc., are some examples of such behaviours for which we do not have
answers apparently.
These motives can be delineated only by psychoanalysis. Many times psychosomatic

disorders like paralysis, headaches, gastric ulcers, etc., also may be due to unconscious
motivation.

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Types of Motives: Biological, Social and Personal Motives | Psychology

Biological Motivation and Homeostasis:

We develop hunger motive in order to maintain homeostasis. This is indicated by contraction

Usually thirst motive is indicated by dryness of mouth. Experiments by psychologists have

c. Need for oxygen:

d. Motive for regulation of body temperature:

e. Need for sleep:

II) Social Motives:

He/she develops a concern to do better, to improve performance. David C Mc Clelland who

III) Personal Motives:

d. Attitudes and interests:

These motives can be delineated only by psychoanalysis. Many times psychosomatic

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