Motivating Behaviour and Theories

Motivating Behaviour

• Motivation is a process that accounts for intensity, direction, and persistence of effort towards reaching a goal
• Intensity: how hard a person tries
• Direction: where effort is channeled
• Persistence: how long a person can maintain effort

Motivation Theories

• Theory X: Negative view of individuals, suggesting they are extrinsically motivated.
• Theory Y: Positive view of individuals, suggesting they are intrinsically motivated.

Performance = Motivation x Ability x Environment

• Performance is influenced by motivation, ability, and the work environment

Types of Motivation

• Intrinsic motivation: Internal desire. Motivated by the work itself.
• Extrinsic motivation: Motivated by factors outside the individual.

Motivation Theories - NEEDS

• Needs Theories: Explore different needs (e.g., physiological, safety, social, esteem, self-actualization) that need to be met to motivate individuals.

Motivation Theories - PROCESS

• Process Theories: Focus on the ways in which people are motivated. Examples include expectancy theory, equity theory, and reinforcement theory.
• These theories analyze how people evaluate behaviour leading to motivation and how to direct that behaviour.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• Proposed by Abraham Maslow, this theory outlines five categories of needs, often shown as a pyramid.
• Lower order needs (external): Physiological, safety, and social needs.
• Higher order needs (internal): Esteem and self-actualization.
• Order in which these needs must be met varies. The order displayed in a pyramid is not always linear; it can be fluid and depend on experience and life circumstances.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs at Work

• The hierarchy of needs can explain workplace motivation: Physiological needs = pay and benefits, Safety needs = job security, belonging needs = teamwork and relationship, high-order needs = recognition, promotion, challenge.

ERG Theory

• Existence needs: Basic needs like physiological and security.
• Relatedness needs: Belonging, acceptance, and connection to others.
• Growth needs: Self-development and advancement, self-esteem.
• These needs can be present simultaneously and pursued in tandem.

Motivation-Hygiene Theory

• Proposed by Frederick Herzberg.
• Intrinsic factors: Related to job satisfaction (e.g., achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, and growth). These factors positively contribute to job satisfaction.
• Extrinsic factors: Related to job dissatisfaction (e.g., work policies, supervision, interpersonal relations, and work conditions). These factors negatively, but not always, correlate to job satisfaction

Work Satisfying or Dissatisfying

• Work is either satisfying/not satisfying or dissatisfying/not dissatisfying.
• Changing factors linked to dissatisfaction may improve the workplace, but not necessarily motivate the individual.

TAT (Thematic Apperception Test)

• A psychological assessment tool used to measure an individual's needs, motivations, and perceptions.

McClelland's Needs

• Need for Achievement (nAch): Excellence, striving to succeed, achieving standards.
• Need for Power (nPow): Influencing others' behaviour.
• Need for Affiliation (nAff): Strong desire for close, friendly interpersonal relationships.
• People with distinct needs are motivated by different stimuli.

Need for Achievement (nAch) at Work

• High achievers are motivated by challenges with a 50% likelihood of success
• They desire responsibility, feedback, and chances to succeed.
• They aren't necessarily focused on leading or managing a team, but rather performing successfully individually.
• Need for affiliation and/or power may be less influential in achieving success in this case.

Expectancy Theory

• Individuals are motivated when they believe effort leads to good performance, good performance leads to rewards, and rewards satisfy their personal goals

Equity Theory

• Individuals compare their inputs and outcomes to those of others and seek fairness.
• This can affect motivation if the individual feels undervalued or overvalued.

Justice Perceptions

• Fairness of resources and rewards allocated.

Reinforcement Theory

• Learning through the consequences of actions.
• Operant conditioning: People act to get something or avoid something using rewards and punishments.

Schedules of Reinforcement

• Continuous: Reward after every desired behavior for a quicker learning process.
• Fixed-interval: Rewards at set time intervals.
• Variable-interval: Rewards given at irregular time intervals.
• Fixed-ratio: Rewards given after a fixed number of desired behaviors.
• Variable-ratio: Rewards given after a variable number of desired behaviors.

Social Learning

• Learning by observing others, recognizing consequences, and adjusting behavior accordingly.
• Behavior must be relatively simple, concrete, and within the learner's ability.

Bobo Doll Experiment

• Illustrates social learning. Observation of violence can lead to the replication of behavior.

Equity Theory - Comparing inputs and outcomes

• Self-Inside: comparing different positions within an organization.
• Self-Outside: comparing a person's position to someone outside of the organization.
• Other-Inside: comparing your experience with someone else's situation within your organization.
• Other-Outside: comparing your experience to someone else's outside of the organization.

Motivation to Reduce Inequity

• Change inputs.
• Change outcomes.
• Alter perceptions of self.
• Alter perceptions of other.
• Change comparisons.
• Leave the situation.