Week 5 - Motivation

What is the primary goal of motivation?

To direct behavior towards a goal.

Primacy of Motivation

• Cognition

• Emotion

• Social Interaction

Instinct Theories

• William James

• McDougall

• Eros & Thanatos (S.Freud)

William James Instinct Theory

Behaviors are driven by instincts (Darwinism)

McDougall Instinct Theory

Behaviors are driven by Instincts

• Unlearned Behaviors

• Uniform in expression

• Universal in Species

• Composed of Perception > Behavior > Emotion

McDougall Instinct Theory defines how many instincts?

Up to 18

Criticism of Instinct Theory

• Too broad

• Hard to define instincts

• Does not explain learned behaviors

Eros and Thanatos (S.Freud) Instinct Theory

Instincts driven by Eros/Life or Thanatos/Death

Founder of Drive-Reduction Theory

Clark Hull

Drive-Reduction Theory

Human behavior tries to keep homeostasis

Criticism of Drive-Reduction Theory

• Does not explain all behavior

• Does not take into account of secondary reinforces such as money

Arousal Theory

Human seek an optimal level of arousal (Activation)

Founder of Arousal Theory

Yerkes-Dodson

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Performance increase with arousal but only to a point

Criticism of Arousal Theory

• Vague definition of arousal

• Poor predictive power

• Mixed empirical support

Incentive Theory

Actions shaped by external rewards / punishments

Incentive Theory based on?

Behaviorism (Skinner)

Criticism of Incentive Theory

• Oversimplification

• Ignore other factors

Self-Efficacy Theory

Motivation depends on our belief in our ability to succeed

Founder of Self-Efficacy Theory

Albert Bandura (Social Psy)

Sources of Self-Efficacy Theory

1. Master Experience (Past Success)

2. Vicarious Experience (Seen other succeed)

3. Social Persuasion (Encouragement)

4. Emotional State (Well-being affects belief)

Social Motive Theory

Motivation shaped by social needs and life experience, subject to change

Founder of Social Motive Theory

McClelland

Three Social Needs of Social Motive Theory

1. Need of Achievement

2. Need of Affiliation

3. Need of Power

Founder of Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow

Criticism of Hierachy of Needs

• Lack of empirical support

• Needs does not follow a strict hierarchy

• Oversimplification

What does Self-Determination Theory focus on?

Intrinsic Motivation

SDT 3 Psychological Needs

1. Competence (Mastery)

2. Autonomy (Control over Choice / Agency)

3. Relatedness (Feeling connected to others)

Founder of Self-Determination Theory

Deci & Ryan

2 Types of motivation

• Intrinsic - Driven by internal satisfaction - Curiosity

• Extrinsic - Driven by external rewards - money

Drive

Ongoing pattern of motivation (Trait)

Impulse

Sudden urge triggered by context (State)

What effect occurs when external rewards reduce intrinsic interest?

Over justification

According to the arousal theory, what happens when arousal exceeds optimal levels?

Performance decreases.

Which social need is related to personal accomplishment according to the Social Motives Theory?

Achievement.