Content Theories of Motivation – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering all major content-theory terms and definitions from Chapter 6.

Motivation

The psychological process through which unsatisfied needs or wants generate drives that are aimed at goals or incentives.

Content Theories of Motivation

Approaches that identify the specific factors or needs that drive people’s behavior, answering the question “what motivates individuals?”

Process Theories of Motivation

Approaches that explain how behavior is energized, directed, sustained, and stopped once motivation is triggered.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

A five-level model proposing that human needs progress from physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, to self-actualization.

Criticisms of Maslow’s Hierarchy

Lacks evidence for a single dominant need, for needs weakening once satisfied, and for people always satisfying lower needs before higher ones (e.g., the ‘starving artist’).

Alderfer’s ERG Theory

Condenses Maslow’s five levels into three—Existence, Relatedness, Growth—allowing needs to be pursued in any order.

Existence Needs

Basic material and physiological requirements essential for survival and well-being.

Relatedness Needs

The desire to establish and maintain meaningful interpersonal relationships.

Growth Needs

An intrinsic desire to be creative, develop oneself, and make useful, productive contributions.

Frustration–Regression Principle

When higher-level needs are blocked, individuals may revert to focusing on lower-level needs that seem easier to satisfy.

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

Proposes that job factors are split into hygiene factors that prevent dissatisfaction and motivators that create satisfaction.

Hygiene Factors

Extrinsic, job-context elements such as salary, company policy, supervision, interpersonal relations, and working conditions that, if inadequate, cause dissatisfaction.

Motivators (Herzberg)

Intrinsic, job-content factors—achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, advancement—that generate job satisfaction.

Herzberg and Job Design

The idea that employees are motivated when they perceive their work to be meaningful and significant.

Hackman & Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model

A framework linking core job characteristics (e.g., skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, feedback) to psychological states that foster intrinsic motivation.

McClelland’s Three-Needs Theory

States that motivation is dominated by learned needs for achievement, power, or affiliation.

Need for Achievement

A strong drive to excel, solve problems, and attain high standards of performance.

Need for Power

A desire to influence, control, or have impact on others and the environment.

Need for Affiliation

A desire for friendly, close, and cooperative interpersonal relationships.

Autonomy (Daniel Pink)

The freedom and self-direction employees have in how they perform their work, fostering intrinsic motivation.

Mastery (Daniel Pink)

The continuous drive to improve skills and become highly competent in one’s work.

Purpose (Daniel Pink)

The aspiration to perform work that serves or contributes to something larger than oneself.