Motivation

Motivation - the force which energizes initiates, and sustains a goal-directed behaviour so that physical or psychological needs or wants are met.

-Manuel

Aim High

Instinct Approaches to Motivation

Instincts - the biologically determined and innate patterns of behavior that exist in both people and animals. Instinct approach assumes people are governed by instincts similar to those of animals.

Drive Reduction Theory of Motivation

Need - a requirement of some material (such as food or water) that is essential for survival of the organism. Drive - a psychological tension and physical arousal arising when there is a need that motivates the organism to act in order to fulfill the need and reduce the tension.

Drive-reduction theory
assumes behavior arises from physiological needs that cause internal drives to push the organism to satisfy the need and reduce tension and arousal.

Drive Reduction Theory of Motivation

Primary drives - those drives that involve needs of the body such as hunger and thirst. Acquired (secondary) drives - those drives that are learned through experience or conditioning, such as the need for money or social approval.

Homeostasis
The tendency of the body to maintain a state of equilibrium.
Crucial to maintain life---temperature

Three Types of Needs

Need for achievement (nAch) - a need that involves a strong desire to succeed in attaining goals, not only realistic ones but also challenging ones. Need for affiliation (nAff) - the need for friendly social interactions and relationships with others. Need for power (nPow) - the need to have control or influence over others.
Menu

Arousal Approach to Motivation

Stimulus motive - a motive that appears to be unlearned but causes an increase in stimulation, such as curiosity.

Arousal theory
theory of motivation in which people are said to have an optimal (best or ideal) level of tension that they seek to maintain by increasing or decreasing stimulation.

Arousal Approach to Motivation

Yerkes-Dodson law - law stating performance is related to arousal; moderate levels of arousal lead to better performance than do levels of arousal that are too low or too high. This effect varies with the difficulty of the task: easy tasks require a high-moderate level while more difficult tasks require a low-moderate level. Sensation seeker - someone who needs more arousal than the average person.

LO 9.5 Arousal approaches to motivation

Menu

(a) The general relationship between arousal and efficiency can be described by an inverted U curve. The optimal level of arousal or motivation is higher for a simple task (b) than for a complex task (c).

Incentive Approaches to Motivation

Incentives - things that attract or lure people into action. Incentive approaches - theories of motivation in which behavior is explained as a response to the external stimulus and its rewarding properties.

Expectancy-value theories
assume that actions of humans cannot be predicted or fully understood without understanding the beliefs, values, and the importance that a person attaches to those beliefs and values at any given moment in time. Expectations and values influence

Deficiency needs
1) Physiological: 2) Safety/security: 3) Belonginess and Love:

4) Esteem:

Growth needs
5) Self-actualization

Deficiency needs
1. Biological needs. Water, food, elimination, warmth, rest, avoidance of pain, sexual release, and so forth.

Deficiency needs
2. Safety needs. Protection from the physical and social environment by means of clothing, housing, and security from crime and financial hardship.

Deficiency needs
3. Love and belongingness needs. Love and acceptance through intimate relationships, social groups, and friends. Maslow believed that in a well-fed and wellhoused society, a principal source of maladjustment lay in the frustration of needs at this level.

Deficiency needs
4. Esteem needs. Achievement, competence, approval, recognition, prestige, status.

Growth needs
Maslow's initial conceptualization included only one growth need 5. self-actualization

Growth needs
Maslow later differentiated the growth need of self-actualization, specifically naming two lower-level growth needs prior to general level of self-actualization (Maslow & Lowery, 1998) and one beyond that level (Maslow, 1971). They are:

Growth needs
5) Cognitive: to know, to understand, and explore; 6) Aesthetic: symmetry, order, and beauty (music, poetry, art) 7) Self-actualization: to find self-fulfillment and realize one's potential; 8) Self-transcendence: to connect to something beyond the ego or to help others find self-fulfillment and realize their potential.

A truly healthy person capable of developing innate talents and achieving maximum potential.

Self-actualisation is a process whereby each person strives become what they are actually intended to be. People with specific talents like or music, for example, must develop these abilities in order to be psychologically healthy and at peace with themselves.

The need to self-actualise may take various forms. These include excellence in sport, success in parenting, caring for others, or indeed achievement in any personal area which is of meaning and importance for the individual.

characteristics
the ability to perceive reality clearly - this includes the ability to judge people and situations accurately acceptance of self and of others - this includes acceptance of one's own human nature, without too much concern about personal shortcoming

characteristics
spontaneity in thinking and behaviour, as well as a sense of humour the capacity to be problem-centred rather than ego-centred - this means the ability to look outside oneself to the problems of the wider world

self-actualisation
a quality of detachment and an ability to be self-contained when alone the ability to resist cultural pressure without being deliberately unconventional

characteristics
the capacity to appreciate the good things of life, including everyday experience the capacity for heightened or transcendent experience

characteristics
interest in social issues and the welfare of other people the ability to form deep and satisfying relationships, although these may not be as numerous as those of other people

characteristics
originality and creativity and a willingness to experiment with new ideas

the ability to tolerate uncertainty

Self-transcendence
Maslow recognized a motivational force higher than self-actualization An inner drive to place the needs of others above ones own needs. Some call it: Integration, holiness, love