Theories of Motivation

Critical Thinking
In a paragraph or 2, identify some factors, traits,
or offer some explanations that help explain why
some people are less motivated than others.
When writing your response think about the
4 sources of motivation.
Biological
Emotional
Cognitive
Social
Theories: Biology or Environment
 Many theories are similar, but they vary in the amount of
emphasis that each places upon either biological or
environmental influences on motivation.
 One theory strongly emphasizes nature as a main
motivational influence.

nurture
nature
 Instinct Theory
 Motivation is the result of biological, genetic programming.
 All beings within the same species are programmed for the same
motivations.
 Survival is at the heart of this perspective, so actions = instincts.
EXAMPLE: Human mothers, unlike many other species, will stay awake
with a crying baby all night long trying to provide comfort. Why?
Instincts as Behavior Patterns
William McDougal defined instincts as behavior patterns that are:
 Unlearned
 Uniform in expression and
 Universal
Example: Birds & nests – individual animals build nearly identical nests,
even when raised in captivity and isolation.

McDougal claims that humans are more or less the same as other animals in
terms of instinctive jealousy, mating drives, & other instincts
 Problems with instinct theories
 There is no agreed-upon list of instincts.
Many instincts are not universal. Examples: Jealousy, sex drive, and
aggression depend upon variations in character among individuals.
 Current Instinct Theories have a more biological
emphasis for specific motivations, and not all apply equally.
Example: variations in levels of aggression from individual to individual.
 Social behaviors complicate and obscure our
understanding of biological influences.

Instinct perspective on motivation is still widely accepted in the

study of animal behavior (ethology).
 Drive Theories
 Drive: an internal state of tension that motivates an organism to
engage in activities that are focused on reducing this tension
 Homeostasis: an organism’s tendency to maintain a steady internal
state
Example: When body temperature wavers, there are autonomic responses
to adjust.

When you experience a drive, you are motivated to pursue actions that
will lead to drive reduction. Example: When experiencing hunger, you
will most likely be motivated to try to find food to eat until you are no
longer hungry.

hunger satiety
Problems With Drive Reduction Theories
 Homeostasis seems irrelevant to some human motives. Example:
how does a “thirst for knowledge” fit into this model?
 Motivation may exist with or without a drive arousal. Example:
Do we eat only when we are hungry?
Arousal Theory
Explains behaviors that don’t obviously decrease drives. Examples:
thrill seeking, curiosity, learning – “because it’s there.”

General Level of Activation: People are motivated to maintain their

optimum level of arousal.
Yerkes-Dodson Law: individuals have varying levels of “optimum”
arousal levels, and performance will improve only up to that
optimum level. Past that, performance begins to decline. Example:
taking tests – a little stress about the test makes you study and
keeps you alert, but too much stress creates test anxiety.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
 Systematic arrangement of needs according to priority, from
survival to personal fulfillment -assumes that basic needs must
be met before less basic needs are aroused.
 According to Maslow, we must meet one need before we move
on to the next. In practice – it does not always work in that way.
He is one of the founders of Humanist Psychology.
How do we solve conflicts between motives?

 Approach-Approach:
2 good choices OR

 Avoidance-Avoidance: OR
2 bad choices

 Approach-Avoidance:
AND
A good choice
with bad consequences
 Achievement Motivation
Extrinsic Motivation: desire to work for external
rewards (money, fame, power, praise)
Intrinsic Motivation: Work for internal satisfaction of a
job well done

People with high achievement motivation seek to master

tasks, strive for excellence, take pride in their work.
 Incentive Theory
 Incentive: an external goal that has the potential to motivate
behavior.

 While Drive Theory describes an internal state PUSHING

you in a specific direction, Incentive Theory describes how an
external stimulus PULLS you in a certain direction.

DRIVES

INCENTIVES
The Hunger Mechanism
 Hunger Motivation
The multiple-systems approach to hunger
• Set point – Refers to the tendency
of the body to maintain a certain
level of body fat and body weight
• Appetite is influenced by the lateral
hypothalamus & ventromedial
hypothalamus parts of the brain
• Eating disorders are a disruption to
this normal system
• Weight control is a complex issue
involving multiple systems and the
brain, along with social/cultural
influences

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
94c43AlwLKo&feature=related
On Monday, we will have a
special guest speaker
from the Emily Program
who will talk about eating
disorders more
specifically