Motivation - LeFonch

What is Motivation?

Motivation is a cause for behavior, and it drives us to act in certain ways.
Reasons, or goals for our behavior are called motives.
Motives range from hunger to need for intimacy or developing the self.
All motives direct our behavior, although some might be more compelling than others.
Motivation is the term used to describe having multiple motives.
For example the motivation to play a video game might be to have fun, spend time, avoid doing homework or numerous other reasons.
People are generally aware of their motives. However, unconscious motivation can play a big role in our behavior.
For example someone might seek comfort through eating, without realizing why.
Motivated action gives us pleasure, whereas it is hard to take action when feeling unmotivated.
Motivation can bring happiness and a sense of accomplishment, promoting wellbeing.

Motives can be categorized into primary or innate motives and secondary or learned motives.
When hungry, a baby cries until it is fed. This is a primary motive that is natural to human behavior.
Wanting to eat dessert after your meal however, is a secondary motive.

In society there are many groups that attempt to direct your motivation towards certain behavior.
For instance laws and the economy motivate people to work and behave according to societal norms.
Another example could be advertisements that try to motivate you to buy their product.
Motivation is a key target in business.

The human instinct to survive is strong within everyone.
Survival motives refer to our basic needs and are our most powerful motivation.
In extreme circumstances people won't hesitate to kill others to survive.
Even if we live in great circumstances, we still need to constantly fulfill our basic needs to survive.
Survival motivation is what drives us to eat, drink, sleep, etc.

Homeostasis is a physiological equilibrium that is maintained in the body.
For example our body temperature, our heart rate and numerous other processes are kept at an equal rate in order to maintain life.
If you feel cold, then you'll automatically seek warmth. The motivation for this is very strong.
You will find it very difficult to focus on anything else if one of your basic needs are unfulfilled or your homeostasis isn't in balance.

People are social beings that are programmed to please others and adapt to social norms.
Without any socialization, we often feel very alone or empty.
Evolutionarily, being in a group provided safety and strength, thus being separated was often deadly.
Isolation is often used as a form of punishment or torture due to how strongly we need others.
The fear of being left alone often pushes individuals to act in otherwise undesirable ways.
Stable and independent people manage to form a balance and consider others before they act.

There is far more to life than surviving and our everyday lives are made up of positive aspects.
People put a lot of effort into things that have no point for survival but provide joy and pleasure instead.
Although seeking for social relationships might originate from fear of abandonment and lead to dependence, it is generally a very healthy thing and is important for wellbeing.
Basic psychological needs refer to innate human tendencies that are necessary for wellbeing and form the fundamental base for human motivation alongside basic needs.

Edward Deci and Richard Ryan are well-known for their research on motivation.
They define the three basic psychological needs as autonomy, competence and relatedness.
Autonomy is the feeling or the freedom to behave decisively.
Competence is the feeling of capability and accomplishing something.
Relatedness is the feeling of being part of a group or something greater.
People often avoid situations where their basic psychological needs aren't met.

Motivation can be either intrinsic or extrinsic.
Extrinsic motivation refers to external reasons and is at work when behavior is triggered by rewards and punishment.
Extrinsic motivation leads us to behave in ways that avoid punishments or achieve rewards.
Intrinsic motivation causes us to act in ways that are enjoyable and interesting.
Extrinsic motivation would mean studying to get good grades, whereas intrinsic motivation would be studying due to interest in the subject and finding joy in learning new things.
Extrinsic motivation can spark intrinsic motivation when rewards cause new experiences that may change personal interests.
Intrinsic motivation could also turn into extrinsic motivation if there are excessive rewards which change the cause for behavior.
A mixture of reasons can be found behind our behavior, and in many cases it isn't clear whether motivation is intrinsic or extrinsic.
Flow is the full state of involvement through intrinsic motivation.

Motivation is made up of both internal and external factors.
A person likely wouldn't accept a contract for a job they loved if it had very little pay. Neither would they accept a very dull job, even if it had a very high salary.
This is due to influences from both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

Motivational systems theory identifies the three core elements of motivation.
Emotional regulation, conscious thinking and awareness of your goals are necessary to maintain motivation.
The interaction and interdependence of these factors are modelled in a three-factor model of motivation, called the motivational systems theory.
The three core elements are personal goals, personal agency beliefs, and emotions.
If one of these three elements is removed, then people become unmotivated.