Motivation

Course: Introduction to Psychology

Ask Yourself

- Why do some students want to get an "A" in every exam, and

some don't even bother about it?

- Why do skydivers love to dive down from hundreds of feet

above the ground?
What is Motivation?

- Motivation is a desire, drive, instinct, or need that speeds up our

behavior towards some goal.

- Psychologists study and evaluate factors that motivate or direct human

behavior.
Types of Motives
Primary/Unlearnt/Physiological/Biological Motives
- Primary motives are concerned with the biological/physiological
needs of the body.
- Examples: hunger, thirst, fatigue and sleep, pain, sex, excretion, air,
warmth, and cold.

Secondary/Learnt/Psychological Motives
- Secondary motives involve social and psychological factors.
- Examples: work and salary, good marks and appreciation, mental
satisfaction.
Primary Motives

- Primary motives are unlearnt and include basic biological needs.

- Examples: hunger, thirst, fatigue and sleep, pain, sex, excretion, air,
warmth, and cold.
Secondary Motives

- Secondary motives involve social and psychological factors.

- Examples: work and salary, good marks and appreciation,
mental satisfaction.
The Continuity of Motivation

- Motivation is a continuous process throughout life.

- When one motive is satisfied, individuals move on to the next
need.
- The struggle to achieve goals persists.
Hunger
- Hunger is the most urgent and desirable need in all organisms.
- Eating is related to the homeostatic mechanism of the body.
- Research shows that hunger is regulated by internal systems and
influenced by nutrient levels and hormonal secretions.

Thirst
- Thirst is a primary motive triggered by salt concentration, fluid
volume, and body temperature.
- Replenishing water is crucial for survival, as our body weight is
largely composed of water.
Fatigue and Sleep
- Rest and proper sleep are important for effective functioning.
- Fatigue can be both physical and psychological.
- Chemical changes in the body and stress/anxiety can cause fatigue.
- Sleep patterns are influenced by cultural factors.

Pain
- Pain is a drive to avoid injury, scars, or wounds.
- Persistent pain becomes a drive to seek relief.
- Individuals may vary in their responsiveness to pain.
Sex Drive

- Sex drive is essential for species survival.

- Societal, emotional, and hormonal factors influence sexual drive.
Excretion: Bowel and Bladder Tensions
- The body needs to eliminate waste regularly.
- Toilet training plays a crucial role in a child's development.
Air
- Oxygen is an instant and essential requirement for the human body.
- Oxygen deficiency triggers the sensation of hunger for air.
- Oxygen deprivation can have severe consequences.

Warmth and Cold

- Avoiding extremes of temperature is a basic motive.
- The hypothalamus regulates body temperature.
- Reactions to cold and hot weather conditions vary.
Motivation is a driving force that directs human behavior.
- Understanding primary and secondary motives helps us comprehend our
actions and desires.
- Understanding primary and secondary motives helps us comprehend our
actions and desires.
- Motivation is a complex process that drives individuals to pursue their goals
and fulfill their needs.
- It plays a significant role in various aspects of life, including academic
achievement, career choices, and personal satisfaction.
Factors Influencing Motivation
- While motivation is universal, the factors that influence it can vary
among individuals.
- Some common factors that impact motivation include:
- Personal values and beliefs
- Past experiences and upbringing
- Social and cultural norms
- External rewards and recognition
- Intrinsic satisfaction and passion for the task
- Individual goals and aspirations
Strategies to Enhance Motivation
- Cultivating and sustaining motivation is a dynamic process. Here are some strategies to
enhance motivation:
1. Set clear goals: Clearly define what you want to achieve and break it down into smaller,
manageable steps.
2. Find intrinsic motivation: Connect tasks to personal values, interests, and passions to
maintain a sense of purpose.
3. Seek support: Surround yourself with supportive individuals who encourage and
motivate you.
4. Celebrate progress: Acknowledge and reward yourself for milestones achieved along
the way.
5. Embrace challenges: View challenges as opportunities for growth and learning rather
than obstacles.
6. Stay positive: Cultivate a positive mindset, practice self-affirmation, and visualize
success.
7. Take care of yourself: Prioritize self-care, including proper rest, nutrition, exercise, and
stress management.
Secondary/Learnt/Psychological Motives

Besides basic biological needs, the expression of psychological needs is

significant.
- Psychological needs are influenced by society and culture.
- Non-satisfaction of psychological motives may lead to mental illness.
Main Psychological Needs

I. Achievement
II. Curiosity
III. Need for appraisal
IV. Need for affiliation
V. Need for power
VI. Work as a motive
Achievement

- Self-actualization and attaining excellence are characteristic features of

this motive.
- It involves the need to achieve goals, objects of desire, or
positions/status.
- Satisfaction comes from both achieving the goal and the act of striving
for it.
- The level of achievement need varies among individuals.
- Measurement: Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) using ambiguous
pictures to elicit stories.
Factors Contributing to the Need for Achievement
- Warm and high-standard parents who encourage independence.
- High-achieving siblings as role models.

Curiosity
- Curiosity is an inborn and learned motive.
- Children have a natural inclination to explore and seek answers.
- Parents and schools play important roles in encouraging or
discouraging curiosity.
Symbolic Reward/Appraisal

- Appraisal serves as a powerful motive, especially for children

and animals.
- Praise, petting, and social approval act as symbolic rewards.
- Parental approval/disapproval and liking/disliking are included
in symbolic rewards.
Need for Affiliation

- The desire to maintain relationships and social contact with others.

- Less desire for isolation or being alone.
- Cultural differences exist in the expression of this need.
Need for Power

- The desire to influence, control, or rule over others.

- Preference for working in influential professions or
organizations.
- Gender differences exist, with men being more inclined to seek
power.
Work

- Work is a powerful motive due to its fulfillment of various

needs.
- It satisfies biological motives (e.g., hunger, shelter),
achievement, affiliation, and decision-making.
Theories/Explanations of Motivation

I. Instinct Approaches
II. Drive-reduction Approaches
III. Arousal Approaches
IV. Incentive Approaches
V. Cognitive Approaches
VI. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
I. Instinct Theory
- Instinct theory suggests that behavior is driven by biologically determined
patterns known as instincts.
- Instincts are innate, fixed, predetermined, and unlearned responses to
specific stimuli.
- Different behaviors are considered as responses to specific instincts.
- Instincts are essential for the survival of the species and provide energy for
action.
- Shortcomings of instinct approaches include difficulties in defining and
identifying specific instincts and explaining why different people behave
differently under the influence of the same instinct.
• II. Drive-Reduction Theory
• - Drive-reduction theory proposes that behavior is motivated by the desire to
reduce internal physiological needs or drives.
• - When a biological need arises and remains unfulfilled, it creates a state of
arousal or tension that motivates the individual to engage in behaviors to satisfy
the need.
• - Drives are arousal or motivational tensions that provide energy for action.
• - Homeostasis, a stable state of internal biological balance, is necessary for
proper body functioning.
• - Primary drives are entirely biological, such as hunger and thirst, while
secondary drives are psychological and social in nature, influenced by prior
learning and experiences.
• - Criticisms of drive-reduction theory include its limited explanation of behaviors
directed toward maintaining or increasing arousal, curiosity, and the influence of
goals on behavior.
III. Arousal Theory
- Arousal theory suggests that individuals are motivated to maintain an
optimal level of arousal or stimulation.
- People seek to increase or decrease their arousal levels based on individual
preferences and situational demands.
- Optimal arousal levels vary among individuals, and both high and low
arousal levels can negatively affect performance and well-being.
- A balanced level of arousal is needed for optimal functioning in various
situations.
- Arousal theory helps explain behaviors related to maintaining an optimal
level of stimulation.
•
IV. Incentive Theory
- Incentive theory emphasizes the role of external stimuli or rewards in
motivating behavior.
- Motivation is explained in terms of positive or negative environmental
stimuli rather than innate instincts or drives.
- Incentives are rewards that energize and drive behavior, and they can be
tangible or intangible.
- Incentives can generate behavior even in the absence of active unsatisfied
instincts or drives.
- The theory recognizes that drives and incentives can interact and have a
deeper effect on behavior.
- Criticisms of incentive theory include the need to consider motivational
processes when no apparent incentives are present and the involvement of
behaviors where threats are present.
V. Cognitive Theory of Motivation
- Cognitive theories give importance to cognitive processes, such as
thoughts, feelings, expectations, and evaluations, in explaining motivation.
- Expectancy-value theory is a cognitive theory that emphasizes the role of
expectations and the value placed on goals in determining motivation.
- Intrinsic motivation is driven by internal factors, such as enjoyment and
personal satisfaction, while extrinsic motivation revolves around tangible
rewards.
- Intrinsic motivation is generally associated with better performance
compared to extrinsic motivation.
- The use of extrinsic motivation should be done with care to avoid
undermining intrinsic motivation.
VI. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
- Maslow's theory suggests that human needs can be categorized into a
hierarchical structure.
- The hierarchy includes physiological needs, safety needs, love and
belongingness needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs.
- Physiological needs are the most basic needs, while self-actualization
represents the highest level of human needs.
- Meta needs are based on a desire to grow, while deficiency needs arise from
the absence of underlying requirements.
- Behavior is influenced by the interaction of different needs, and the
fulfillment of each level allows for progression to higher-order needs.
- Criticisms of Maslow's theory include the challenge of neatly ordering and
distributing needs and the lack of empirical evidence supporting the ranking of
needs.