Definition: Motivation

a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior. (Myers, 2007)

Ten Ways to Maximize Motivation:

1. Rewards
2. Short and long term goals
3. Consequences
4. Deadlines
5. Create challenges
6. Make it stimulating
7. Constructive criticism
8. Make it fun
9. Let people be creative
10. Recognize achievement

4 Perspectives on Motivation:

There are 4 useful perspectives when studying motivated behavior.
1. Instinct Theory
2. Drive-Reduction Theory
3. Arousal Theory
4. Maslow's hierarchy of Needs

Instinct Theory

Instinct Theory was influenced by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. During the 20th century, this theory was used mostly to classify different behaviors as instincts.
After a sociologist researched and concluded there were 5759 different human instincts, the Instinct Theory diminished and became less used within society. sociologists and theorists begun naming human behaviors rather than explaining them.
"Most psychologists view human behavior as directed by psychological needs and psychological wants." (Myers, 2007)
Due to Instinct Theory failing at describing and explaining motivation, the theory can be useful when explaining human similarities and differences, influence of evolution on human phobias, attraction and benefiting our understanding of behavior

Drive-Reduction Theory

Drive reduction theory is the idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need. For example your need is food, the drive is hunger, and the drive reducing behavior would be eating.

Homeostasis is a tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state. When the state changes it makes your body react in a way to fix the change. Like when the temperature in your house rises and there is a temperature change it makes the air conditioning turn on.

Our needs are not the only thing that motivates us we are also pulled by incentives, both positive and negative.

When there is both a need and an incentive we are strongly driven. The food deprived person that smells baking bread feels a strong hunger drive. In the presences of that drive, the baking bread becomes a compelling incentive. For for each motive we can ask, “How is it pushed by our inborn physiological needs and pulled by incentives in the environmental?”

Arousal Theory

Arousal Theory helps explain the motivation for behaviors that do not reduce or psychological needs. Curiosity driven behaviors, suggest that too little stimulation can motivate people to seek a higher level of arousal. For example a young child that investigates every accessible room of his or her house. Human motivations aim not to eliminate arousal but to seek optimal levels of arousal. When we have our needs satisfied we feel the drive to experience stimulation. When we lack stimulation we feel board and look for ways to increase arousal. Although with too much stimulation comes stress and then we look for ways to decrease arousal.

A Hierarchy of Motivation

Some needs are more important than others, making sure that you meet your physiological needs verses your esteem needs. With that said when you meet your basic needs it makes it easier to move forward and meet other needs such as belonging and love or self actualization needs. When you choose to ignore your basic needs such as thirst and hunger it will make it impossible to meet over needs because you will be to focused on the needs you have not meet. Abraham Maslow has based his theory around this concept. His theory, the Hierarchy of Needs is a pyramid of human needs, beginning at the base with physiological needs that must be met before you can move up. Then there is safety needs followed by belongingness and love needs, esteem needs and the top of the pyramid is self actualization needs. However Maslow’s hierarchy is not always what is most realistic are some people situations, or when they are trying to make a point. For example people have starved themselves to make a political statement. All though his hierarchy may not always work the framework can be applied to our thinking of motivation. (Myers, 2007)

Quotes

“I know that you can do the impossible”
-Terry Fox

"Motivation starts with you! As you aspire to be more successful in life, your attiutude towards yourself and others will play a huge role. Positive people learn how to handle life's challenges differently and use these opportunities to grow. So can you!"
- Unknown