Motivation

Motivation

The biological, emotional, cognitive, or social forces that act on or within you or an organism to activate and direct behavior

Examples of motivation

Power, money, relationships, freedom, food, etc.

Three characteristics commonly associated with motivation are:

1. Activation (the first burst of motivation)

2. Persistence (keep going despite challenges)

3. Intensity (how hard you actually work)

Without persistence and intensity, activation is useless

Four perspectives in the study of motivation:

1. Instinct theory

2. Drive-reduction

3. Arousal theory

4. A hierarchy of motives (Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs)

Instinct theory

• must be a complex behavior with a fixed pattern through the species and be unlearned

• some human motivates are innate and due to genetic programming

• Ex: blinking if something nears eye; crying if scared

Drive-reduction theory

• The idea that physiological needs creates an arousal state that drives the organism to reduce that need or to satisfy it

• Incentives: positive & negative stimuli that lure or repel us that motivates behavior (reward)

• Ex: going all the way back to dorm to grab coat because cold

  • Incentive = if I do this, I don’t have to be freezing for the rest of the day

Homeostasis (related to drive-reduction theory)

the maintenance of a steady internal state (body temp, energy level)

Arousal theory

• The urge for the optimal level of stimulation

• When all biological needs are met, we are driven for more stimulation

• Ex: If all a child’s basic needs are met, that child will spend more time and effort on a task even with no reward

A hierarchy of motives

• The concept that some needs take priority of others

• Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: if some motives are unsatisfied, it can be more compelling than others & must be satisfied first before higher level needs

• Humans are all motivated by something, but few figure out their motives → failure in life

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

1. Physiological needs (basic need)

• air, food, water, medicine, shelter

2. Safety needs (basic need)

• security, health

3. Love & belonging (primary need)

• social connection & affection

• humans are meant to love & have relationships

4. Esteem needs

• recognition, confidence, respect

• aesthetic - need to see beauty in the world, travel

• cognitive/knowledge - need to learn

5. Self-actualization

• you have met your full potential (going after your goals) & become who you are meant to become

• anyone can meet self-actualization - you just have to make the choice to go for it, no matter what others say

6. Self-transcendence

• those who transcend themselves

• those who want to do good in the world because their life is great

Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (STD)

People are actively growth oriented, but to reach optimal human functioning, the three psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) must be satisfied

Autonomy

The need to determine, control and organize one’s own behavior and goals so that they are in harmony with one’s own interests and values

Competence

The need to learn and master appropriately challenging tasks

Relatedness

The need to feel attached to others and experience a sense of belongingness, security, and intimacy

• not enough to BE loved, you must FEEL loved

• without this, cannot achieve self-actualization

Achievement motivation

The desire to direct behavior toward excelling, succeeding, or outperforming others at some task

• the key to success

• directly wanting to live a good, successful life (not everyone has achievement motivation)

Positive Incentive Value Theory

(In eating behavior) The anticipated or heightened anticipation of the pleasure of consuming a particular food

• Think about the future — what is going to matter? Help your future self out

Evolutionary perspective

Over-eating helps build energy reserves for times when food may be scarce or unavailable

Satiation

(In eating behavior) the feeling of fullness and diminished desire to eat after eating a meal

• Stop eating the moment you no longer feel hungry, NOT when you feel full

• Stop wasting life not being happy, recognize what you do have and be grateful

• Humans are prone to go to the next thing → take a moment to be satisfied with what you have