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Sources of Motivation

Jody Marvin

PSY 355

June 4, 2012

Dr. Rockel Etienne

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Sources of Motivation A central theme in psychology is the study of motivation. Factors that direct and energize

behavior of humans include biological, cognitive (psychological), and social aspects

(environmental). As an illustration, comparing motivation as a journey explains that motives are

physiological and psychological needs, whereas the external objects are incentives and goals

(Deckers, 2010). In addition, motivation is a driving force that alerts the mind to change, pushes

and creates the pursuit toward change, and pulls the individual toward the end-stage result

(Deckers, 2010). Consequently, you not only need to think you can, you need the capability and

knowledge to 'move into action' causing changes in behavior. According to Deckers (2010), “The

meaning of motivation is to be moved into cognition, feeling, and action," (p. 2).

Depending on what people want to achieve and how strongly people want to attain the final

achievement, motivation refers to the driving force behind behavior that leads to pursing the

achievement and cause others avoidance (Deckers, 2010). Incentive approaches are theories of

motivation in which behavior is a response to external stimulus and its rewarding properties

(Hardy & Carlo, 2005).

Direction and arousal toward goal-oriented behavior are factors within a human or animal.

Charles Darwin attributed the extent of animal and human behavior to instinct (biologically

determined innate), patterns of behavior. For example, when our safety if threatened we are

programmed to ‘fight or flight’ and when we are hungry we are motivated to get food. Darwin

emphasizes the innate programmed genetic behaviors responsible for primal energy sources

(Huitt, 2012). Concurrently, a need (food) is a requirement for survival, whereas gourmet food is

a want. Both are very different, however; both can be motivating depending on intrinsic or

extrinsic motivation.

Emotions are a universal functional reaction to external stimulus causing the shaping of

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responses to a current situation. The push to fulfill the need is a psychological tension and

physical arousal that motivates the action to reduce the tension. The drive’s strength is dependent

on the strength of the need. In addition, homeostasis is the physiological tendency of the body to

maintain this steady state of ‘comfortable tension.’

Subsequently, moved to motivate requires energy that powers the muscles and strengthens the

neural connections within the brain known as cathexis (Deckers, 2010). Known as adaption

energy (Hans Selye, 1976), cathesix is a pleasurable motivator for behavior (as cited Deckers,

2010, p. 54). The amount of adaptive energy is relative to the amount of mental energy produced

when processing information from the environment. The physical component, glucose, feeds the

brain, which possibly creates new brain cells while enhancing the existing. As an illustration, “In

the case of older rats, when their supply of glucose runs low, their memory for the maze becomes

impaired (McNay et al., 2000; McNay & Gold, 2002; McNay et al., 2006)” (as cited in Deckers,

2010, p. 74).

The goal or situation determines what the animal or human does. Motivation and behavior

do not happen spontaneously. Theories of motivation in which behavior is explained as a

response to the external stimulus and rewarding properties, uses incentives as a way to get you to

do something (Decker, 2010). Action and behavior do not happen at the same time. In theory, we

must be induced by internal motives or environmental influences to 'move into action'. Motives

are internal dispositions that push us to the end whereas environmental influences are the

incentives and goals that pull the individual to the end-state (Deckers, 2010). The goal of the

motive is the incentive. Incentives are things that attract or lure people into actions, and are great

motivators.

Self-determination is the theory of human motivation that allows the effect of the social

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context or environment to influence the motivation (Hardy & Carlo, 2005). Three inborn and

universal needs necessary for an individual to gain a complete essence of self include autonomy

(need for control of one’s behavior), competence (master the challenging tasks in life), and

relatedness (sense of belonging, intimacy, and security) (Huitt, 2012). In contrast, cognitive

knowledge includes the knowledge and competence necessary for an individual to fulfill the

desired behavior. Depending on a person’s biological attributes and psychological dispositions

determines the outcome of the individuals motivating factors (Deckers, 2010). For example, a

psychological variable may include a need for belongingness, friendly social interactions, and

relationships with others. The mind versus the brain is explained if the mind determines how

much a person wants to study as compared to the brain’s ability to function with the necessary

need for clarity to optimal learning (Deckers, 2010).

Based on operant conditioning, motivation focuses on drive reduction, depriving basic need

causes tension, and appropriate actions reduce tension. Drive-reduction involves meeting a

current need like hungry - find food or thirsty-find water. In contrast, behavior may be stimulated

by activities that drive tension rather than reduce it (Hardy & Carlo, 2006). Concurrently, goal-

setting theory defines specific goals, gets continuing feedback about the progress toward the

goals, believes the goal is possible, and sets a high enough goal to remain motivated. A high

commitment to the goal is mandatory. Intrinsic motivation suggests when we do something for

the sheer enjoyment; we receive from doing it the reward in the process (Huitt, 2012).

Today’s theory of human motivation draws on biological, psychological, and social processes

that focus on various issues. The intrinsic unpredictability of the world that people experience,

the innate differences in the attributes of individuals, and the aesthetic pleasure obtained from

one’s environment creates an understanding of why the theoretical issues exist to understanding

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human motivation.

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References

Deckers, L. (2010). Motivation: Biological, psychological, and environmental (3rd ed.). Boston,

MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Hardy, S. A., & Carlo, G. (2005). Identity as a source of moral motivation. Human Development,

48(4), 232-256. http://search.proquest.com/docview/224020782?accountid=35812

Huitt, H. (2012). Motivation to learn: An overview - Educational Psychology Interactive.

Retrieved from http:/www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/motivationmotivate.html/