Introduction to Motivation

Introduction to Motivation

• Motivation is wanting a change, either in the self or the environment
• Motivation explains all forms of behavior, including the causes
• Assessing internal, physiological and external, situational factors is important in understanding motivation
• Theories of motivation try to explain behavior by examining instincts/drives, incentives/rewards, and the desire for arousal change
• Motivation applies to everyday activities like eating and drinking, as well as more adventurous activities like bungee jumping

Importance of Studying Motivation

• Learning about motivation is personally satisfying
• It provides insights into wants, desires, and how to improve lives
• It explores topics such as human nature, goal-setting, desires regarding personal or biological sex, psychological intimacy, and related emotions
• It explains how to improve effort, alter behavior, develop skills, increase interest, and improve functioning

Motivation is Goal-Directed

• Motivation is concerned with what pushes us toward certain behaviors and not others
• It's involved in the complex processes that guide individuals towards specific goals
• Motivation is often connected to the concept of biological drives and instincts

Motivation as a Behavioral Science

• Motivational science relies on objective, data-based, empirical evidence from research
• It values peer-reviewed scientific methods
• Motivational science avoids relying on anecdotal evidence, like quotes from famous people

Theories of Motivation

• Theories are intellectual frameworks designed to explain a phenomenon (like motivation) in greater detail, understanding, and explanation
• They are used to generate and test new hypotheses; providing predictions about what outcomes should occur if a theory is correct
• Motivational theories often explore how different concepts interrelate like needs, cognitions, emotions, and well-being

Assessing Motivation

• Observing behavior (e.g., intensity, persistence, latency, choice, and probability of response), as well as engagement, and psychophysiological signs (like changes in heart rate), brain activations (e.g. fMRI), and subjective self-reports are used to determine the presence and quality of a motivational state, its intensity and quality

Motivation and Emotions

• Motivation and emotions are intertwined
• They significantly influence behaviors, interactions, and responses to environmental circumstances
• Motivation and emotional states are dynamic and reciprocal to the events and outcomes that cause them
• The person's needs, cognitions, and emotions contribute to their motivational state and influences their actions, thoughts, feelings, and other factors that determine their well-being
• Understanding how environmental factors (support, relationship, and the social context) affect motivations and emotions

Motivational Strategies

• Different motivational strategies work better in different contexts and have varying strengths and weaknesses
• Strategies should take into account the individual's needs, interests, and personal well-being
• Motivational strategies need conditions that support them, like good environments, strong relationships, and appropriate challenges

Needs, Emotions, and Well-being

• Needs, emotions, cognitions, and well-being are interrelated
• Understanding how motivations stem from those factors allows a more thorough understanding of behavior
• Biological and psychological needs shape the desire for fulfilling basic and more complex needs
• Needs form the basis of goal-setting and affect the development of one's expectations, beliefs, and values, which guide actions and relationships

Motivation and Emotion

• Motivation and emotion are dynamic and interact reciprocally, influencing each other's states
• Identifying ways that motivations and emotions interact can lead to better understanding of a person's well-being and quality of life