Motivation and emotion

Motivation and its meaning

Motivation refers to the internal state or condition that influences behavior and gives it direction in relation to physiological conditions, interest, attitudes, and aspirations. It is a concept that stands for the underlying force impelling behavior toward a particular goal. Motivation involves a complex interaction within the individual and its environment and the intervening variables in which he lives.

Two components of motivation Drive- based on needs and can be observed in overt behavior.
Needs- arise from deficits within the individual. The deficits maybe physiological or psychological.

Motive
- It implies a drive that is directed toward or away from the desired goal. - A motivation incites an organism to action and gives direction and sustain it once is aroused.

Functions of motive
1. Activates or energizes the individual. The
moment a motive is aroused, a state of restlessness is evidently felt. Motive activate the organism into a state of readiness for behavior.

2. Leads, directs and regulate behavior. The directional and regulatory function is geared to the achievement of a goal, reward, or incentive. Once the goal is achieve, the sustained activity eases and behavior changes.

3. Selecting mechanism. Motives have a selecting function. A number of responses and alternatives are available in any situation. Motives determine which response will be appropriate to satisfy the needs and lead to incentives. Responses will be selectively regulated so that only those that are important and will satisfy will be reinforced.

Theories of motivation
1.Instinct Theory. An individual acts the way he does because of his instinct. Instinct is a descriptive term for a complex. Unlearned adaptive response, an unlearned pattern of reflexes appearing in all members of the species.

2. Psycho-Analytic/Drive Theory(Freud). This theory postulates that an organism is motivated to eliminate or reduce bodily tensions. Drive refers to physiological conditions which impels the organisms to become active. Drive motivate organism to reduce bodily tensions. Individuals behave as they do because their early experiences drive them instinctively to do.

3. Incentive Theory. The fundamental assumption of this theory is that if a certain desirable goal can be anticipated following the completion of a particular action, in effect, the organism is likely to be motivated to perform that action.
The anticipation of undesirable of goalsomething unpleasant will naturally motivate an organism not to perform that action.

4. Arousal Theory. An alternative to drive theory. Arousal refers to the increase in degree of excitement or tension of the organism.
5. Solomons Opponent Process Theory. This theory explains that a state of positive feeling is followed by a contrasting negative feeling, and vise versa. At the outset, an individual who is involved in a karate, bull fighting or parachute jumping may experience a negative and apprehensive feeling attempt which soon followed by positive feeling and euphoria.

6. Whiting and Child Behavior Theory. This theory states that few basic motives during infancy tend to grow excessively and rapidly. This involves attachment to people and situations where there is a motive to inflict harm on one another or turn it against him/her.
7.Association Theory(Thorndike). Deprivation of the need will cause the individual to act to satisfy the need.

8. Humanistic or Need Gratification Theory. Maslow postulates that an individual does something to satisfy the need.
9. Cognitive Theory. Man is rational and consciously decides what he will and will not do. Motives, curiosity, intention, motive to achieve success and goals activate and direct the individual to action.

10. Self-Efficacy Theory(Bandura) The key to individual achievement lies with the individuals own belief in his ability to organize and execute actions required for successful performance. 11. Self-determination Theory. The attitude of determination is the foundation for motivated behavior.

KINDS OF MOTIVATION
Intrinsic- An individuals internal desire to perform a particular task. Extrinsic- Promoted by factors external to the individual and unrelated to the task being performed such as recognition or other reward,