Chapter 5 motivation

Definition and types of motivation

 The word motivation has been derived from the Latin word
movers, which means move.
 Motivation is an internal state or condition (sometimes,
described as a need, desire, or want) that serves to activate or
energize behavior and give it direction.
 Motivation is a factor by which activities are started, directed
and continued so that physical or psychological needs or wants
are met.
 Motivation is what ―moves people to do the things they do.
Conti..

Motivation also influence of needs and desires on

the intensity and direction of behavior
 motivation is the arousal, direction, and

persistence of behavior
 it is something that drives people to do what they

do
 an internal variable used to account for factors

within the organism that arouses

Motivation and Motive

 Note: motivation is a tendency to act in a

particular way, and a motive is a particular need
or wants that cause such a tendency.
Conti..
 Motives (Achievement, Affiliation, Dominance)
 Motivation (to accomplish difficult tasks, to seek and
enjoy cooperation with other, to make friends, to
control and influence the behaviors of others)
Types of Motives

Innate (Biological) Motives

 the innate or biological motives are rooted in the
physiological state of the body
 these motives are natural (unlearned), such as,
hunger, thirst, a desire for sex, temperature regulation,
sleep, pain avoidance, and a need for oxygen.
 Biological needs (motives) are primary needs, which
are very important to physical survival.
Social (learned) Motives

 the motives, which are usually learned in-group and

require the presence of other people for their
satisfaction
 motives that are learned in the social environment
(interaction and relationship)
 some of these are: social approval, love, affection,
money, praise, prestige, respect, power, achievement
and so on.
 These motives more influenced by cultural heritage
and philosophy of individuals’ life
types of motivation

 Intrinsic motivation is a type of motivation in which a person

acts because the act itself is rewarding or satisfying in some
internal manner.
 Extrinsic motivation is a type of motivation in which
individuals act because the action leads to an outcome that is
external to a person.
 MOTIVATION AND ITS IMPLICATION FOR LEARNING

 Needs, drives and incentives are concepts related motivation.

NEEDS- are specific states with in the organism which is the base

for some deficit (Physiological or psychological deficits) and that

may elicit behavior. For example, the need for food is a
physiological deficit where as the need to earn high mark/grade is
a psychological deficit.
 DRIVES- are internal states within the organism in to an action

toward a particular goal. Drives activate responses needed to obtain

the goal that will satisfy the need.
 INCENTIVES- are external motivating stimuli such as money,

praise, fame or attention. Incentives pull a person towards a goal

8
 Characteristics of Motivation
 1. Motivation is a psychological process. To achieve a desired
result by stimulating and influencing the behaviour of
subordinates. A manager/ leader should carefully make an
attempt to understand the needs, motives and desires of every
employee in the organization. The reason for this is that each
person is different and a same kind of motivational technique
does not apply to all kinds of individuals.
 2. Motivation is a continuous process. When one need is
satisfies, another need emerges. Therefore, motivation is an
incessant process until the completion of objectives.
 3. Motivation is a complex and unpredictable task. Human
wants are not definite and they change according to
consequences. A worker may be satisfied in present situation but
due to his changed needs he may not be satisfied in future.
Similarly, even two persons may not be motivated with similar
 Characteristics of Motivation
Cont’d…
 4. Motivation is the pervasive/ universal function of all
levels of management. Every manager from top to the lowest
level in the management hierarchy is responsible for
motivation. A leader is largely responsible for motivating his
subordinates - hierarchy.
 5. Influences the behaviour: The most important objective of
motivation is to influence the employees’ behaviour and thus
bringing about the behavioural changes. The managers
influence the behaviour of workers and encourage them to
concentrate more on their goals.
 6. Motivation may be positive or negative. A positive
motivation promises incentives and rewards to workers.
Incentives are both financial and non financial.
 Negative motivation is based on punishment for poor
 The Significance of Motivation: Cont’d…
1.Cooperation and Goals: Cooperate willingly and contribute
maximum towards the goals of the organization.
2.Productivity: Motivated employees attempt to enhance their
knowledge and skills. This enables increase in the productivity.
3.High Efficiency: when motivated employees work sincerely towards
their given tasks; they develop a sense of belongingness which results
in conserving the organisational resources.
4.Job Satisfaction: A motivated employee yearning for opportunities
for satisfying needs becomes loyal and committed towards his work and
eventually the organisation.
5.Better Relations: The number of complaints and grievances/ criticism
reduce when the employees are motivated.
6.Good Image: If the employees of the organisational are motivated and
satisfied with the work environment, the image of the company as a
good employer boosts.
Approaches to motivation (theories of
motivation)
 a) Instinct approaches to motivation
 One of the earliest theory of motivation that is focused on the
biologically determined and innate patterns of both humans
and animals behavior is called instincts.
 animals are governed by their instincts to do things such as
migrating, nest building, mating and protecting their territory
 According to this instinct theory, in humans, the instinct to
reproduce is responsible for sexual behavior, and the instinct
for territorial protection may be related to aggressive behavior.
 B. Drive reduction theory (push theory)
 It is also described as the ‘’push theory of motivation’’,
behavior pushed toward goal by driving sates within the
person or animal that form basic biological needs
arising within our bodies
 For instance, hunger , thirst, fatigue, and so on.
 To drive theory, motivation is basically a process in
which various biological needs push (drive) us towards
action designed to satisfy these needs
Drive-reduction approaches to motivation

 This approach involved the concepts of needs and drives.

 A need is a requirement of some material (such as food or
water) that is essential for the survival of the organism.
 When an organism has a need, it leads to a psychological
tension as well as physical arousal to fulfill the need and
reduce the tension. This tension is called drive.
 Drive-reduction theory proposes just this connection between
internal psychological states and outward behavior.
 In this theory, there are two kinds of drives; primary and
secondary.
 Primary drives are those that involve survival needs of the
body such as hunger and thirst,
 whereas acquired (secondary) drives are those that are learned
through experience or conditioning, such as the need for
money, social approval.
c) Arousal approaches: beyond drive reduction
 Arousal approaches seek to explain behavior in which the goal
is to maintain or increase excitement.
 According to arousal approaches to motivation, each person
tries to maintain a certain level of stimulation and activity.
 As with the drive-reduction model, this approach suggests that
if our stimulation and activity levels become too high, we try
to reduce them.
 But, in contrast to the drive-reduction perspective, the arousal
approach also suggests that if levels of stimulation and activity
are too low, we will try to increase them by seeking
stimulation.
Goal-setting Theory

 goal-setting theory, which suggests that motivation

can be strongly influenced by goals.
d) Incentive approaches: motivation pull
 Incentive approaches to motivation suggest that motivation
stems from the desire to attain external rewards, known as
incentives.
 In this view, the desirable properties of external stimuli:
whether grades, money, affection, food, or sex—account for a
person‘s motivation.
 Many psychologists believe that the internal drives proposed
by drive-reduction theory work in a cycle with the external
incentives of incentive theory to ―push and ―pull behavior,
respectively.
e) Cognitive Approaches:the thoughts behind
motivation
 motivation is a result of people‘s thoughts, beliefs,
expectations, and goals.
 Cognitive theories of motivation draw a key difference
between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
 Intrinsic motivation causes us to participate in an activity for
our enjoyment rather than for any actual or concrete reward
that it will bring us.
 In contrast, extrinsic motivation causes us to do something for
money, a grade, or some other actual, concrete reward.
f) Humanistic approaches to motivation
 Maslow suggested that human behavior is influenced by a
hierarchy, or ranking, of five classes of needs, or motives.
 He said that needs at the lowest level of the hierarchy must be
at least partially satisfied before people can be motivated by
the ones at higher levels.
 Maslow‘s five Hierarchies of needs for motives from the
bottom to the top are as follows:
 Physiological needs- these are biological requirements for
human survival, e.g. air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth,
sex, sleep.
 Safety needs- protection from elements, security, order, law,
stability, freedom from fear.
 Love and belongingness needs- after physiological and safety
needs have been fulfilled, the third level of human needs is
social and involves feelings of belongingness. Examples
include friendship, intimacy, trust, and acceptance, receiving
and giving affection and love. Affiliating, being part of a
group (family, friends, work).
 Esteem needs- the need to be respected as a useful, honorable
individual; which Maslow classified into two categories: (i)
esteem for oneself (dignity, achievement, mastery, and
independence) and (ii) the desire for reputation or respect from
others (e.g., status, prestige).
 Self-actualization needs- realizing personal potential, self-
fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Data based on Hierarchy of Needs in “A Theory of Human

Motivation” in MOTIVATION AND PERSONALITY by
Abraham H. Maslow. Copyright 1979 by Abraham H. Maslow.
Reprinted by permission of Harper & Row Publishers, Inc.
Frustration & Conflict of
motives
 Frustration refers to the blocking of any goal directed

behavior.
 If motives are frustrated, or blocked, emotional
feelings and behavior often result.
 People who cannot achieve their important goals feel
depressed, fearful, anxious, guilty, or angry.
 Source of Frustration:-
1. Environmental factor
2. Personal inadequacies
3. Conflict of motives
 Conti..
 Approach- approach conflict
 Occurs when one is simultaneously equally attracted to

two/more desirable goals/outcome.

E.g., continuing your college course or helping your poor
mother. The solution is doing one after another.

 Avoidance – avoidance conflict: two negative

/unpleasant condition expel the individual.
e.g. math's & physics (Individual hate both subject
 Conti..
 Approach-Avoidance conflict
 Occurs when a single goal has both negative (unpleasant)

& positive ( pleasant) component.

 The organism / individuals is repelled ( dissatisfied) by the

avoidance component.
Eg; medicine has job opportunity but difficult to learn.

 Multiple approach conflicts: such conflict are the we

most often face in life.
 These involves situations in w/c several options exist with
each one containing both positive & negative elements.