What is motivation: types, definition and classification of motives

Every day, any person overcomes many obstacles on the way to their goals, plans and thinks through ways to solve certain problems and tasks. An active life position, the desire for comprehensive development and personal growth are not expressed to the same extent in people, and the key point for understanding this difference is motivation. Not every person knows what it means to motivate themselves and others and how to properly work on developing motivation. The BrainApps resource will help you improve your personality with the help of useful articles and games developed by professionals. In this case, the motivation will be to record achievements so that a person can clearly see improvements in memory, thinking, and attentiveness.

Motivation is considered a process that regulates behavior, that which motivates a person to act. After all, behind any action or inaction there is a motive, even if it is not always conscious. The famous German thinker A. Schopenhauer first mentioned motivation. Motivation is a complex psychological phenomenon that has been studied by many scientists and around which many theories have emerged. To learn how to better manage your time and come to an understanding of how to achieve your goals, you need to understand what types of motivation exist and how to successfully apply them.

What is motivation: description

There is no clear definition of motivation. It is a set of external and internal motives that encourage an individual to act in one way or another.

The basis of motivation is the desire to carry out any action. It reflects the needs, interests and aspirations of a person, so motivation is always individual.

The main component of motivation is the presence of a motive. This is the standard (imaginary or real) that an individual strives to achieve.

Practical advice

Motivation is needed by those who want to force a person to fulfill demands and obey. Therefore, they manage children, subordinates, consumers - buyers of goods and services. Even the desire to have a slim body is an imposed motive. To avoid needing motivation, you need:

• determine the type of activity you like;
• identify the goal that can be achieved in this activity;
• to have, as a result of achieving the goal, satisfaction of the financial and internal goals - gratitude, self-esteem, recognition of mastery.

That's when there will be no need for motivation. The purpose of the activity motivates itself.

How motivation works: moving towards a goal

The main motivators that push a person to action are the desire to achieve something and the fear of losing something. The first includes all activities aimed at various achievements (purchase, search, victory), and the second includes the desire to avoid losses (time, finances, opportunities).

All others are derivatives of these 2 factors. A person commits all his actions because of one of these incentives.

For one person, going to the gym with a lot of people is a positive aspect, because there is an opportunity for communication, but for another, it is a negative aspect, because a large crowd of people makes him feel uncomfortable.

The struggle of motives

As already mentioned, a person is simultaneously driven by many different motives. And not all of them are equivalent and equally directed. Here's a classic example. A person sets an alarm clock at night, intending to get up early the next morning - for example, to go for a morning run. But the morning comes, the alarm clock rings, and this person no longer wants to get up. He finds himself in a situation where he needs to make a specific decision, and it depends on what motives prevail in him at the moment. Here we come across what is called willpower.

This example is not particularly critical, but there are situations in life when a person has to make very difficult choices. Any of the options for action is motivated in a certain way, and this brings discomfort and even real torment. So, in some cases we are faced with a choice - to save ourselves from trouble or to save our loved ones at the cost of our own lives. Such internal conflicts can lead to the development of depression or neurosis.

What should you do if you need to make such a choice? Experts advise not to give in to emotions and carefully consider all options if possible. There must be a rational approach here; you need to weigh all the pros and cons, the benefits and deprivations that the choice you make will bring. And above all, one should be guided by socially significant motives. After all, it often happens that we achieve our goal by “walking over our heads,” as a result of which friends, close people, and relatives turn away from us, as a result, we lose more than we gain.

A person is not aware of all his motives, but control of his motivational sphere is available to us. It is necessary to create a hierarchy of needs and motivations for yourself and focus on the most significant and important of them. Such a hierarchy will be associated primarily with social values.

The “pyramid of needs” compiled by the American psychologist Abraham Maslow is widely known. This system distributes needs into “lower” ones, which make humans related to other animals, and “higher” ones, which are unique to humans. It is curious that the lower needs are associated with the individual survival of the organism, while the higher ones pursue social goals. The highest needs are the need to understand one’s connection with the entire universe, and not just with one’s small group or human society in general.

Having certain needs, a person acquires the motivations associated with them. And they motivate him to do certain things. It happens that an activity seems “higher”, but in reality a person is guided by “lower” motives. So, a musician can create fashionable but primitive music just to feed himself (and generally make money). It happens that “for bread” people create real masterpieces. In other cases, setting “lower” goals is only an intermediate step, while in reality the person is motivated by higher considerations. Thus, the father of the family can take care of his health in order to have the strength to provide for his wife and children.

Types of motivation in psychology

In psychology, there are the following types (types) of motivation:

• internal and external;
• positive and negative;
• stable and unstable.

These are the main types of motivational formations.

There is also active (diversive) and passive motivation. The first includes internal stimulation, the second - external.

External and internal motivation

They are also called extrinsic and intrinsic. External (extreme) is based on the influence of external factors: conditions and circumstances that do not relate to individual types of activity. Often the motivation for doing something is the positive example of another person. This is called a functional motive.

Internal (intrinsic) motivation has internal reasons emanating from life values: goals, needs, desires, etc.

Each of them has its own characteristics:

1. External motivation is aimed at quantity, and internal motivation is aimed at the quality of work performed.
2. When the external task is achieved, it ceases to motivate, and the internal one becomes even more active.
3. Intense motivation is a stronger incentive than extrinsic motivation.
4. As you gain self-confidence, intrinsic motivation increases.

Positive and negative

The main forms of incentives can be divided into negative and positive. Positive ones push to action when a person is in anticipation of benefit. This encourages you to perform your duties more efficiently and meet deadlines. Such motivation plays an important role in achieving high results and increases work efficiency. Motivation in a work team can be not only material reward, but also psychological methods of influence.

There are the following principles that confirm the effectiveness of positive stimulation:

• increasing the importance of the individual, leading to improved quality of work;
• increased motivation to take further actions after receiving benefits or moral encouragement;
• confidence in your actions and rapid achievement of success.

Negative motivation involves various punishments for failure to complete a task or poorly done work. According to research, long-term negative motivation leads to loss of interest in the duties performed, cultivates a feeling of fear, reluctance to act, reduces self-esteem and contributes to the development of complexes.

Accordingly, positive motivation stimulates action, and negative motivation strengthens discipline during the performance of an activity. The latter is not capable of revealing internal potential; its main task is to keep the individual within the established framework.

Negative motivation loses its power if it is not used in combination with positive one.

Stable and unstable

Sustainable motivation includes the daily needs of people:

• hunger;
• thirsty;
• dream;
• sex;
• communication;
• acquiring new knowledge.

A person consciously carries out activities without putting much effort into it.

Unsustainable motivation is weaker. It must be constantly supported by external factors.

Additional classification of motivation

The classification of motives is quite broad. According to psychological and sociological research, there are additional motivational types (incentives) - the basis of motivation:

1. Self-affirmation is the desire for recognition in one’s environment. It ensures personal development and awakens self-esteem.
2. Identification is the desire to be like one’s idol, the desire to match his set of qualities.
3. Power is the need to influence the activities of others, the desire to dominate and exercise control over people.
4. Procedural-substantive – the need for active activity, receiving pleasure directly from the process.
5. Self-development is a person’s desire to develop and improve. It is associated with self-affirmation.
6. Achievements – the desire to achieve better results, to become a leader in your field.
7. A prosocial motive is a sense of duty to society, the manifestation in the process of achieving a goal of such qualities as responsibility, self-confidence, tolerance, etc.
8. Affiliation - association: the desire to make contact, find new connections, maintain friendly relations with other people.

Each type is divided into several levels, which depend on individual conditions:

• the significance of achieving the goal;
• confidence in its achievement;
• individual perception of the result of their activities.

At different times, people's values, motives and capabilities differ significantly.

The Problem of Incentive Reduction

Lack of motivation is familiar to many people. Experts name 3 main reasons that are associated with the loss of desire to achieve goals. By carefully analyzing them, a person can rethink his own behavior and find new ways to solve pressing problems. How to get your motivation back:

1. “Workout and proper nutrition from Monday.” Does a person believe himself when he says that he is going to go on a diet on Monday? Of course, it is much easier to postpone a difficult task until a later date than to start right now. In most cases, such ideas are not brought to life, and then disappear altogether. This is especially true for representatives of the fair sex. An excellent motivation for girls in such a situation: “I’ll start right now and finish the job much earlier.”
2. “I want to be unique now and forever.” A person strives to get everything at once, dreams of possessing luxurious treasures, having a magnificent figure and a loving family. But is it really possible to achieve all this right away? In reality, you have to choose what is more important and useful at this stage. But this does not mean that there is no opportunity to achieve other goals.
3. “I can’t do this because...” No matter what the answer is, people have heard this phrase millions of times. Instead of actually doing something significant, a person seeks to find a reason not to do it. And, as a rule, these very reasons are absurd and illogical.

How to develop motivation and fight your own laziness? Success doesn't just happen, it needs to be planned. Loss of motivation is a sign that an individual must reconsider his needs. A person must present a real picture of what he wants, set specific deadlines, see the goal and independently pave the way to it.

Content theories of motivation

Sociology and management often use substantive theories of motivation. Such concepts are based on the study of human needs, since they are considered fundamental factors in the formation of motivation.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory

This theory states that the satisfaction of all needs has a clear sequence: first, the needs of the lower level are satisfied, and then the higher ones.

Schematically they are depicted in the form of a pyramid consisting of 5 levels:

1. Physiological needs (food, water, air, sleep, etc.).
2. Security (stability, security).
3. Social needs (communication, love, friendship).
4. Prestige (career, authority).
5. Spiritual needs (knowledge, skills, art, self-development and personal growth).

Alderfer's ERG theory

Based on Alderfer's theory, people have 3 main needs:

1. Existential (physical needs, safety).
2. Establishing contacts (communication, belonging to a group).
3. Self-realization (career growth, creativity).

According to this theory, movement from 1 level to the next can occur both from bottom to top and from top to bottom.

McClelland's theory of acquired needs

In this theory, needs are reduced only to high levels:

1. The need for belonging.
2. The desire for power.
3. Self-realization.

Herzberg's two factor theory

Herzberg's theory provides for the presence of 2 factors that influence employee motivation:

1. Hygienic (retention) - conditions and nature of work, wages, relationships with colleagues and management.
2. Motivational (stimulating) - recognition, self-realization, climbing the career ladder.

Alderfer's ERG theory

American psychologist Clayton Paul Alderfer studied motivation techniques for a long time, he came to the conclusion that all human needs and desires can be combined into 3 large groups. Needs depend on the following factors:

• the desire to exist (due to physiological needs);
• the presence of connections (the social sphere, a person’s place in society, his family, relatives and friends play an important role);
• desire for growth (self-expression and desire to change both externally and internally, increased motivation is observed).

If the principle of hierarchy works in Maslow’s theory, then Alderfer is of the opinion that needs are directed in both directions. His definition of motivation is: a dynamic system that can move both up and down. For example, if a person manages to fulfill a higher desire, then the need to satisfy a lower level of tasks is activated and intensified, and vice versa.

For clarity, you can perform a small experiment. It is also worth filling out Maslow's pyramid and paying attention to the upper and lower levels. If there is a movement from bottom to top, then this will be a person’s self-satisfaction. If the path lies from top to bottom, then this is frustration (defeat). In order to return to the process of satisfaction, it will only be necessary to complete the key task from the drawn pyramid, starting from the end and going up.

Process theories of motivation

They are designed to analyze how efforts are distributed to achieve a goal, and what style of behavior is chosen. An important factor is the conditions for satisfying needs: good pay and high evaluation of work.

Vroom's expectancy theory

According to the theory of expectations, to stimulate a person to activity, one need is not enough. You need to be confident that they will lead to the desired result.

Conditions influencing motivation:

1. Waiting for the desired result.
2. Reward for results.
3. Reward value.

Motivation increases in direct proportion to the increase in each of these factors.

In the absence of even 1 of them, motivation will disappear.

Adams' theory of equality of justice

The theory of justice states that a person independently evaluates the relationship between the efforts made and the reward received, and compares his work with similar ones. Making such a comparison can lead to feelings of injustice.

There are 6 reactions to injustice:

• reduction of effort;
• desire to increase remuneration;
• decreased self-esteem;
• an attempt to influence the workload and salary level of other employees;
• finding another comparison object;
• desire to change position or place of work.

Porter Lawler model

This theory is based on the fact that people’s motivation is influenced by many factors, including:

• effort expended;
• final result;
• remuneration;
• perception of reward;
• degree of satisfaction.

According to this theory, putting in more effort leads to employee satisfaction with the final result.

E. Locke's theory of goal setting

Locke's assumption is that goal setting is a cognitive process that has practical benefits. According to the theory, personal conscious intentions and goals determine human behavior. This behavior continues until this goal is achieved. Intention is a fundamental factor in goal setting. The author of the theory uses the term conscious goals and intentions to show that high goals lead to higher levels of performance.

The concept of participatory management

This concept proclaims the need to involve employees in the management of the company to stimulate them. There are 3 levels of participation:

1. Development of proposals.
2. Creating an alternative.
3. Decision-making.

This concept can only be implemented in companies with hardworking and creative staff.

Motivation for human activity: main components

If a person does not fully understand what motivation means, then it is quite easy to explain what it is in simple words. First you need to find out the origin of this word and its meaning. The term “motivation” comes from the word “movere,” which is Latin for “to move.” Having learned the origin of the term, we can already conclude that motivation drives the actions of an individual, pushes him to perform certain actions or, conversely, to inaction.

Motivation is one of the human abilities that helps him achieve what he wants. The developed theories of motivation show a person its enormous influence on his way of life, the degree of activity and organization. That is, the more motivated a person is, the more effort he makes to achieve his goals. Some scientists understand human motivation as a process of activity regulation, while other experts mean by this term a certain set of motives.

A motive in psychology is something that helps direct a person’s active actions in a certain direction; it is a generalized image of what a person wants to achieve in the course of his activities. It can manifest itself in the form of positive emotions from achieving a goal or negative emotions in cases where the goal was not achieved. Motive is not the same thing as need or goal. In theories of motivation for a person, a need is an unconscious desire to eliminate physical or psychological discomfort, while a goal is set consciously in the process of working on one’s desires and information coming from outside. Motives are formed on the basis of various needs and are an incentive to achieve a set goal. They are discussed in detail in theories of motivation developed for humans.

Theories based on a specific picture of a person

There are 2 concepts based on a specific picture of a person: “Theory X and Y” by McGregor and “Theory Z” by Ouchi. They describe the types of work motivation.

McGregor's XY theory

These are 2 theories in which the author compares the employee’s incentives and the behavior of the company’s management from 2 sides.

Theory X states that:

• people are naturally lazy and use every opportunity to procrastinate;
• a person seeks to escape responsibility, so he becomes an employee;
• he adheres to principles such as stability and security;
• sheds ambition as ballast;
• complete control, pressure and the threat of punishment push a person to work with greater efficiency.

According to Theory Y:

• work is an integral part of human life;
• good working conditions contribute to the development of responsibility and control over one’s actions;
• creative and intellectual potential is not fully used;
• Having achieved the goal, the person receives encouragement.

These are 2 diametrically opposed theories that have the right to life.

Ouchi's Z Theory

In addition to the previous 2 theories, American professor William Ouchi developed Theory Z. It is based on collective principles of motivation, according to which the incentives of employees should be influenced by the company’s values:

• coincidence of the goals of the employee and the enterprise;
• proper organization of work;
• dedication to the team and common goals;
• solidarity;
• confidence.

Positive aspects of this theory:

1. The vector of attention is aimed at motivating all employees.
2. The presence of managers in the company, their positive communication with subordinates.
3. Organization of on-the-job training.
4. Providing growth opportunities.

Disadvantages of the theory:

1. Excessive requirements for applicants.
2. Compliance with established principles, patriarchy.
3. Slow promotion.

The theory of principles of goal setting by E. Locke

The main idea of ​​the theory was that the quality and characteristics of a person’s life directly depend on the goals that he sets for himself, therefore goals should be drawn up taking into account the factors missing for happiness according to the following principles:

1. A specific task (the person must clearly understand what exactly needs to be done and how);
2. The goal should not be easily achievable or require no effort and time.
3. It is easier for a person to strive for results if the goal is set by him and is his own desire.
4. Feedback is necessary (without an outside perspective it is more difficult to assess your potential and results).
5. Willingness to use all resources to achieve results.

Methods of motivation in practice

There are many ways to motivate, and they all differ from one another.

Staff motivation

Social motivation is a system of moral, material and professional incentives for an employee.

It aims to increase employee activity and productivity. The measures used for this may depend on various conditions:

• incentive systems at the enterprise;
• features of enterprise management;
• areas of its activity;
• number of personnel;
• management style, etc.

Motivation methods are divided into 3 groups:

• economic (material);
• organizational and administrative (following regulations);
• socio-psychological (following social interests).

The most effective is the carrot and stick method, which is practiced by many enterprises.

Student motivation

It is also important for students and schoolchildren, as it contributes to good learning. It allows you to set long-term goals, choose a behavioral strategy, and achieve high results.

Motivation in children and adolescents rarely arises spontaneously. In this regard, psychologists and educators have developed various techniques to induce motivation. They provide an opportunity to develop safely, learn and experience new things. These techniques include:

• attracting attention (interesting experiences and facts, comparisons, life stories);
• experiencing emotions when presenting materials due to their scale and value;
• making comparisons between scientific research and life experience;
• creating an atmosphere of scientific discussion, educational discussion;
• joyful experience of achievements;
• giving information the effect of novelty;
• equating educational materials to the category of achievements, their updating;
• application of positive and negative motivation;
• formation of social motives (the desire to acquire an authoritative opinion, to contribute to development).

Stages of motivation

Motivation is an extensive process that takes place in several stages.

1. At the beginning of the journey, a person has a need that he wants to satisfy.
2. At the next stage, ways to do this are identified.
3. Next, a specific goal is set - what exactly needs to be achieved in the final.
4. The last stage is the longest - these will actually be specific actions, work in the chosen direction.

If the result is successful, the person achieves the desired reward and remains satisfied. If there is a failure, this may negatively affect future plans. It is clear that next time it will be much more difficult to motivate a person who has already failed.

Practical psychologists help organize a comfortable environment for productivity growth and choose a specific method of motivation, because you need to take into account the individual characteristics of the individual, the accompanying factors of her life and other important points.

Our distance learning course in practical psychology will help you learn how to provide psychological services. You will not only master all the techniques for diagnosing and correcting psychological conditions, but also gain the right to apply them in practice to help people solve their problems and achieve their goals.

Self-motivation

Self-motivation is the use of individual motivational methods based on personal beliefs:

• desires and aspirations;
• focus and consistency;
• determination to act and consistency.

The main indicator of correct self-motivation is the situation when, in the presence of great interference from the outside, a person does not give up and continues to move towards his goal.

The individual performs conscious actions aimed at achieving the desired result.

To motivate yourself, you can use methods such as:

• affirmations - a selection of positive statements that influence the individual’s subconscious and lead to a positive effect;
• self-hypnosis is an influence that has a person’s independent influence on his own psyche, the purpose of which is to create a new behavioral model;
• biographies of successful people are an effective way of stimulation based on studying the life stories of great personalities;
• formation of strong-willed skills - performing actions aimed at overcoming one’s own laziness, fears and reluctance to act;
• Visualization is an effective method that is based on the mental representation and emotional experience of achieved goals.

Self-hypnosis

Self-hypnosis can be effective only if a person has the ability to do so: he can influence his subconscious and psyche, causing the desired reaction and achieving a positive effect.

Biographies of successful people

Using this method is suitable for both children and adults. A person sees the full picture: there was a desire, then action followed, and then the result.

Visualization

Visualization is a powerful method of achieving goals, because thoughts tend to materialize. An important condition for its use is the presence of active actions to achieve goals.

Development methods

Theories of motivation play an important role for a person, because by understanding how motivation is formed, you can use this information to achieve your goals. A successful person must successfully use different types of useful motivation and be able to motivate others when necessary. After studying the theoretical material, you can choose the most useful approach for yourself and stick to it in everyday life.

However, not everyone knows what it means to motivate themselves and others. Various motivation methods are used by specialists for employees and students. There are also methods of self-motivation, which include:

• Reading and repeating affirmations;
• Self-hypnosis;
• Studying the life path of great people;
• Visualization;

Studying theories of motivation for a person helps to better understand one's own behavior and the behavior of other people, and develop a plan to increase productivity. Once you decide what it means to motivate yourself to act, solving many problems will no longer be a problem for you over time.

Achieving success in life is determined not only by motivation, but also by some other skills, for example, non-standard approaches to solving problems. The necessary brain functions allow you to develop individually designed workouts on the BrainApps resource, which take into account the strengths and weaknesses of the brain.

What determines the level of motivation?

Regardless of the incentive that helps a person move forward, the level of motivation is not constant and unchanging.

Depending on the actions performed, accompanying circumstances and other factors, its level can either increase or decrease.

Factors that determine motivation levels:

• the significance of the achieved result;
• faith in its achievement;
• personal forecasts regarding the implementation of the plan;
• own understanding and idea of ​​success.

Individual motivation is always stronger, because it is aimed at achieving clear goals and obtaining measurable results.

Signs of a motivated personality

People who are charged with action can be easily recognized. They:

• optimistic (a motivated person is confident in advance of a good result);
• active (show enthusiasm, which helps not to stop in the process of achieving the goal);
• persistent (follow the rule that any obstacles that arise can be overcome);
• concentrated (try not to be distracted by small things);
• self-confident (they feel like a whole person with their shortcomings, but at the same time they not only know how to use their strengths of character, but also work on their weaknesses).

Block 3. Motive. Hierarchy.

1. Motives can compete with each other, which manifests itself in the problem of choice, sometimes acute and well known to everyone. Have you ever encountered a situation where you couldn’t quickly choose which T-shirt to wear on the street? And there are situations that are more complicated, this is a choice between death and the life of one’s own, a close loved one and some group of people. This is already a class of moral dilemmas.

2. In situations of choice, the motive is determined by the value category that dominates the individual in a given period of time.

3. Motives are arranged in a hierarchical order according to the degree of importance in each specific context of a life situation. One of the motives becomes the leader, the “ CONDUCTOR ”. This entire complex process occurs against the background of constant emotional accompaniment and is not always accessible to the subject’s awareness.

4. Rationalization of motives often occurs, and a rational explanation is involved. But irrationalism can dominate behavior.

5. The leading motive is the main regulator of human activity, thus giving personal meaning to actions. However, the actions of the subject do not always “shed light” on the leading motive, and therefore premature conclusions about the opponent’s motives in negotiations often represent “guessing from the tea leaves.”

6. The so-called meaning declared by the subject can be a “screen”, “veil”, “mask” hiding the true motives. A person may not be aware of the falsity of the actualized internal meaning of an action that does not coincide with the actual motive. At the same time, be in the grip of cognitive delusions. Giving internal meaning to something is a way to explain to yourself and others the reasons for your behavior. This is a way to bring rationality into your own actions.

7. A subject who is aware of his own hierarchy of motives in various contextual situations controls motives and is able to shift “leaders”, opening the way for those motives that correlate with the main value expectations of a person, forming a deep personal and transpersonal meaning.

Motives encourage meaning-supporting and meaning-forming activities.

How to motivate yourself to succeed?

There are several ways to increase your own motivation:

1. Monitor your dopamine levels. To do this, balance your diet - your diet should include vegetables and fruits, and quality fish. It is also important to follow a daily routine and get proper rest;
2. Use staff motivation techniques: reward yourself for achievements. For example, do something nice if you have completed your own plan. Did you study English every day? Great, treat yourself to some delicious food!
3. Determine your leading motive. Think about what is your main motive? Maybe recognition is important to you? Or are you seeking power? Do you dream of “wiping the nose” of someone? Use this to achieve success. Remember, there are no good and bad motivations, there are those that work and those that don’t!

Using these simple tips, you will forget about laziness and discover a source of energy within yourself. Want to learn even more techniques to improve your personal effectiveness? Read the “Coaching” section.

Block 5. Motive. Scientific experiment.

In an experiment with a laboratory rat, the pleasure center was discovered in 1954 by James Olds and Peter Milner in the limbic system.

(Olds J., Milner P., Positive reinforcement produced by electrical stimulation of the septal area and other regions of the rat brain, "Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology", 1954, Vol. 47, pp. 419–427.)

The rats pressed a pedal connected to a mechanism that closed the current in electrodes implanted in the brain. As a result, the rat refused food, sleep, sex and constantly, every second, pressed the pedal, bringing itself to exhaustion, exhaustion, convulsions, but without parting with the pedal. The experimenters had to literally save the lives of the rats by interrupting the flow of current to the electrodes. And only after the stimulation stopped, the rat had difficulty returning to its normal life activities. At the same time, there are centers of displeasure in the hypothalamus, when irritated, the rats jumped away sharply and categorically did not approach the “bad” pedal.