Motivation

Defining motive, motivation, needs and drives

Theories of Motivation
Motivation to eat-----Hunger
Motivation to love
Motivation for sex
Motivation to achieve
Motivational conflicts and universal psychological
needs

Defining Motive & Motivation

Motive : A hypothetical state within an

organism that propels the organism toward
a goal. (From the Latin movere, meaning "to
move.")
Motivation : A inferred process within a
person or animal that causes movement
either toward a goal or away from an
unpleasant situation.
Motives arise from needs.
Need : A state of deprivation.

Needs, Drives and Motivation

Drive : A condition of arousal in an organism that is

triggered when we are in a state of deprivation
Drives may be physiological and psychological
Physiological drives :
when we are not able to maintain homeostasis, we get
arousal in the form of drives which motivates us to take
care of our physiological needs like hunger, thirst,
elimination of wastes, proper warmth, and sexual release.
Incentive :An object, person, or situation perceived as
being capable of satisfying a need.

Psychological Drives

Examples of Psychological drives include

achievement, power, status, self esteem, social
approval, recognition and prestige.
Psychological needs differ from physiological needs in
two ways.
First, psychological needs are not necessarily based
on states of deprivation.
Second, psychological needs may be acquired
through experience, or learned. By contrast
physiological needs reside in the physical make up of
organism. We all share similar physiological needs

Universal Psychological Needs

Autonomy
Feeling that choices are based on true
interests and values.
Competence
Feeling able to master hard challenges.
Relatedness
Feeling close to others who are important
to you.
Self-esteem
Self-respect.

Theories of Motivation
Drive theory
Arousal theory
Expectancy theories
Cognitive theory
Humanistic theory

Biological Perspective
Biological perspective considers the roles
of nervous system, endocrines and
heredity.
Drives which can be explained by
biological perspective are hunger, thirst
and temperature control.
There is no learning involved.

1) Drive reduction theory

The view that organisms learn to engage in
behaviors that have the effect of reducing
drives.
This learning may occur to reduce both
primary(physiological drives) and acquired
drives like drive to earn money because
money enables us to obtain food, drink and
homes which protect us.

Hunger

Hunger

Hunger and weight

Bulimia and Anorexia Nervosa

Bulimia
An

eating disorder characterized by episodes

of excessive eating (binges) followed by
forced vomiting or use of laxatives (purging).

Anorexia Nervosa
An

eating disorder characterized by fear of

being fat, a distorted body image, radically
reduced consumption of food, and emaciation

THE MOTIVATION FOR LOVE:

The Psychology of Love:

The need for affiliation
The

motive to associate with other people, by

seeking friends, companionship, or love.

Predictors of love
Proximity

Choosing friends and lovers from the set of people

who are closest to us.

Similarity

Choosing friends and lovers who are like us in looks,

attitudes, beliefs, personality, and interests.

The Ingredients of Love

Sternbergs Triangular theory of love

Passion

Euphoria and sexual excitement.

Intimacy

Being free to talk about things, feeling close to and

understood by loved ones.

Commitment

Needing to be with the other person; being loyal.

Ideal love involves all three.

Motivation for Sex

The Biology of Desire
The Psychology of Desire

The Biology of Desire

(Hormones and sexual
response)
Testosterone appears to promote sexual desire

in both sexes.
Documentation included several studies of men
and women.
However, this is not a simple relationship.
Sexual

behavior also increases testosterone.

Psychological factors are usually more important
than hormones.
Sexual offenders who are chemically castrated dont
always lose sexual desires.

The Sexual-Response Cycle

The Psychology of Desire

Motives for sex include:

Enhancement
Intimacy
Self-Affirmation
Partner

Approval
Peer Approval

2) Arousal Theory
Striving

to maintain an optimal
arousal level

Seeking

stimulation if bored,
relaxation if excited

The Yerkes- Dodson Law

A U-shaped curve describes the arousalperformance relationship

Tasks of
avg.
difficulty

The Yerkes- Dodson Law

Tasks of low
difficulty

The Yerkes- Dodson Law

Tasks of
high
difficulty

3) EXPECTANCY THEORY

Achievement Theory
The

need for achievement can be

defined as a tendency to approach
new/novel tasks
The fear of failure can be defined as
a tendency to avoid new/novel tasks

High Need for

Achievement

Low Need for

Achievement

Low Fear of
Failure

High Fear of
Failure

Initial Su cce s In iti al Fa il u re

Task Difficulty

High
Need for
Ach.
Low
Need for
Ach.

Easy

Moderate

Low

High

Difficult

Low

Motivation Motivation Motivation

High

Low

High

Motivation Motivation Motivation

High
Need fo r
Ac h.

M otivatio n
De crease s

M otivatio n
Inc reases

Lo w
Nee d for
Ach .

M otivatio n
Inc reases

M otivation
Dec reases

The Importance of Goals

Goals improve motivation when:

The goal is specific

The goal is challenging but achievable
The goal is framed in terms of approach
goals instead of avoidance goals
Approach goals are framed as getting what is
wanted.
Avoidance goals are framed in terms of avoiding
unpleasant experiences.

4) COGNITIVE THEORY
Intrinsic Motivation : desire to perform a
behavior for its own sake
Extrinsic motivation : desire to perform a
behavior because you will be rewarded or
avoid punishment

EXAMPLES OF IM AND EM
Intrinsic - Opportunity for achievement Responsibilities - Recognition Advancement/promotion - Creativity Challenge of work - Personal Growth
Extrinsic - Co. policies - Supervision Interpersonal R.W./S - Salary - Job security Working condition - Employee benefits - Job
Status - Personal life

Humanistic Theory

Humanistic psychologists particularly Abraham

Maslow believed that people are also motivated by
the conscious desire for personal growth.
Maslow believed that we are separated from lower
animals by our capacity for self-actualisation.
Self-actualisation is self-initiated striving to
become what one is capable of being; the motive
for reaching ones full potential, for expressing
ones unique capabilities.

Maslow's Pyramid of Needs