Motivation:
Motive:
An emotion, desire, physiological need and or similar impulse that acts as an encouragement to action. Motivation is the driving force by which humans achieve their goals. It is an internal state that activates and gives direction to thoughts, feelings and action.
Types and Nature of Motives:
Intrinsic motivation:
Internal desire to perform a particular task. For example, pleasure, mastery etc. Before to be intrinsically motivated, one must satisfy more basic human needs.
Extrinsic motivation:
Desire to perform a particular task when factors are external. For example money, good grades.
There are further three categorizations of motivation:
• Homeostatic motives
• Biogenic motives
• Social Motives
Homeostatic Motives:
Homeostasis:
The ability or tendency of an organism to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes. For example, Sweating when internal temperature becomes excessive and shivering to produce heat.
Homeostatic motives include hunger, thirst and respiration and these motives work to keep the body in balanced state and are caused by bodily deficiencies and excesses.
Biogenic Motives:
These are also called non-homeostatic motives. These are occasional and involve sex, curiosity about environment.
Social Motives:
These are also called learned motives. These motives seem to develop through experience and continue to evolve and influence behavior throughout life. For example, Need for achievement, power, approval and social affiliation.
Theories of Motivation
Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs: Drive Reduction Theory
According to Clark Hull (1943, 1952), humans have internal biological needs which motivate them to perform a certain way. These needs, or drives, are defined by Hull as internal states of arousal or tension which must be reduced. A prime example would be the internal feelings of hunger or thirst, which motivates us to eat. According to this theory, we