Republic of the Philippines

CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

Impig, Sipocot, Camarines Sur 4408
www.cbsua.edu.ph

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Lesson 15: Motivational Theories

Introduction
Those that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviour is called motivation. It is what causes one to act, It
involves the biological, emotional, social, and cognitive forces that activate behaviour. Theories about how behaviour of
individual is guided by an intrinsic or extrinsic will to perform a particular task is provided by different theorist. In this
lesson the students are expected to understand the implication of those theories to behaviour and learning.
Pre-competency questions
Do you have a goal? A short term? A long term goal?
What are you willing to do/risk to reach your goal in life?
Are you a fan of online shops?
Do you buy things you need or things that you want?
How do you differentiate wants from needs?
Learning Resources
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-motivation-2795378
https://www.whatsnext.com/what-is-motivation
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/motivation/motivation-theories-top-8-theories-of-motivation-explained/35377

Explore
What makes you get up in the morning? What pushes and energizes you to do what you do everyday? List down 5 of
them and rank them, 1 being the highest.

An American psychologist Clayton Paul Alderfer had proposed this theory and believed that each need carries some value
and hence can be classified as lower-order needs and higher-order needs. He also found some level of overlapping in the
physiological, security and social needs along with an invisible line of demarcation between the social, esteem and self-
actualization needs. This led to the formation Alderfer’s ERG theory, which comprises of the condensed form of Maslow’s
needs.

1|CALLP-L15-rba
 Republic of the Philippines
CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
Impig, Sipocot, Camarines Sur 4408
www.cbsua.edu.ph

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Alderfer’s ERG Theory

Existence Needs: The existence needs comprises of all those needs that relate to the physiological and safety aspects of
human beings and are a prerequisite for the survival. Thus, both the physiological and safety needs of Maslow are grouped
into one category because of their same nature and a similar impact on the behavior of an individual.
Relatedness Needs: The relatedness needs refer to the social needs, that an individual seeks to establish relationships with
those for whom he cares. These needs cover the Maslow’s social needs and a part of esteem needs, derived from the
relationship with other people.
Growth Needs: The growth needs cover Maslow’s self-actualization needs as well as a part of esteem needs which are
internal to the individual, such as a feeling of being unique, personnel growth, etc. Thus, growth needs are those needs that
influence an individual to explore his maximum potential in the existing environment.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often
depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid.

2|CALLP-L15-rba
 Republic of the Philippines
CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
Impig, Sipocot, Camarines Sur 4408
www.cbsua.edu.ph

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to needs higher up. From the bottom of
the hierarchy upwards, the needs are: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.

3|CALLP-L15-rba
 Republic of the Philippines
CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
Impig, Sipocot, Camarines Sur 4408
www.cbsua.edu.ph

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Deficiency needs vs. growth needs

This five-stage model can be divided into deficiency needs and growth needs. The first four levels are often referred to as
deficiency needs (D-needs), and the top level is known as growth or being needs (B-needs).

Deficiency needs arise due to deprivation and are said to motivate people when they are unmet. Also, the motivation to
fulfill such needs will become stronger the longer the duration they are denied. For example, the longer a person goes
without food, the more hungry they will become.

Maslow (1943) initially stated that individuals must satisfy lower level deficit needs before progressing on to meet higher
level growth needs. However, he later clarified that satisfaction of a needs is not an “all-or-none” phenomenon, admitting
that his earlier statements may have given “the false impression that a need must be satisfied 100 percent before the next
need emerges” (1987, p. 69).

When a deficit need has been 'more or less' satisfied it will go away, and our activities become habitually directed towards
meeting the next set of needs that we have yet to satisfy. These then become our salient needs. However, growth needs
continue to be felt and may even become stronger once they have been engaged.

Growth needs do not stem from a lack of something, but rather from a desire to grow as a person. Once these growth needs
have been reasonably satisfied, one may be able to reach the highest level called self-actualization.

Every person is capable and has the desire to move up the hierarchy toward a level of self-actualization. Unfortunately,
progress is often disrupted by a failure to meet lower level needs. Life experiences, including divorce and loss of a job, may
cause an individual to fluctuate between levels of the hierarchy.

Therefore, not everyone will move through the hierarchy in a uni-directional manner but may move back and forth between
the different types of needs.

4|CALLP-L15-rba
 Republic of the Philippines
CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
Impig, Sipocot, Camarines Sur 4408
www.cbsua.edu.ph

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Discussion Board : Where are you on the spectrum? How can you move to more self-determination and Motivation?

Post Competency Activity

List 10 things that serves as your motivation during this time of pandemic
Create a table with 2 column and list those 10 things on the first column and on the opposite column,
write down if it is B needs or D needs

Quiz

Compare and contrast the theory Maslow’s and Alderfer’s Theory of Motivation.

5|CALLP-L15-rba