Motivation: The Driving

Force Behind Our Actions

• The term motivation describes why a person does
something. It is the driving force behind human actions.
Motivation is the process that initiates, guides, and
maintains goal-oriented behaviors.

• For instance, motivation is what helps you lose extra

weight, or pushes you to get that promotion at work. In
short, motivation causes you to act in a way that gets you
closer to your goals. Motivation includes the biological,
emotional, social, and cognitive forces that activate
human behavior.
• Motivation also involves factors that direct and maintain
goal-directed actions. Although, such motives are rarely
directly observable. As a result, we must often infer the
reasons why people do the things that they do based on
observable behaviors.1

• Learn the types of motivation that exist and how we use

them in our everyday lives. And if it feels like you've lost
your motivation, do not worry. There are many ways to
develop or improve your self-motivation levels.
What Are the Types of Motivation?

• The two main types of motivation are frequently

described as being either extrinsic or intrinsic.
• Extrinsic motivation arises from outside of the
individual and often involves external rewards such as
trophies, money, social recognition, or praise.

• Intrinsic motivation is internal and arises from within

the individual, such as doing a complicated crossword
puzzle purely for the gratification of solving a problem.2
Why Motivation Is Important

• Motivation serves as a guiding force for all human behavior. So,

understanding how motivation works and the factors that may impact it
can be important for several reasons.

• Understanding motivation can:

• Increase your efficiency as you work toward your goals
• Drive you to take action
• Encourage you to engage in health-oriented behaviors
• Help you avoid unhealthy or maladaptive behaviors, such as risk-taking
and addiction
• Help you feel more in control of your life
• Improve your overall well-being and happiness
What Are the 3 Components of
Motivation?
• These different elements or components are needed to
get and stay motivated. Researchers have identified
three major components of motivation: activation,
persistence, and intensity.
• Activation is the decision to initiate a behavior. An example of
activation would be enrolling in psychology courses in order to
earn your degree.
• Persistence is the continued effort toward a goal even though
obstacles may exist. An example of persistence would be
showing up for your psychology class even though you are tired
from staying up late the night before.
• Intensity is the concentration and vigor that goes into pursuing
a goal.5 For example, one student might coast by without much
effort (minimal intensity) while another student studies regularly,
participates in classroom discussions, and takes advantage of
research opportunities outside of class (greater intensity)
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs is one of the best-

known theories of motivation. Maslow's theory states
that our actions are motivated by certain physiological
and psychological needs that progress from basic to
complex.
• Abraham Maslow first introduced the concept of a hierarchy of
needs in his 1943 paper, titled "A Theory of Human
Motivation," and again in his subsequent book, "Motivation
and Personality." This hierarchy suggests that people are
motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other,
more advanced needs.

• While some of the existing schools of thought at the time—

such as psychoanalysis and behaviorism—tended to focus on
problematic behaviors, Maslow was more interested in
learning about what makes people happy and what they do to
achieve that aim.
• As a humanist, Maslow believed that people have an
inborn desire to be self-actualized, that is, to be all they
can be. To achieve this ultimate goal, however, a
number of more basic needs must be met. This includes
the need for food, safety, love, and self-esteem.1

• Maslow believed that these needs are similar to

instincts and play a major role in motivating behavior
.2 There are five different levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs, starting at the lowest level known as
physiological needs.
Physiological Needs

• The physiological needs include those that are vital to

survival. Some examples of physiological needs include:
• Food
• Water
• Breathing
• Homeostasis
• In addition to the basic requirements of nutrition, air, and
temperature regulation, physiological needs also include
shelter and clothing. Maslow included sexual reproduction in
this level of the hierarchy as well, since it is essential to the
survival and propagation of the species.
Security and Safety Needs

• At the second level of Maslow’s hierarchy, the needs start to

become a bit more complex. At this level, the needs for security
and safety become primary.
• People want control and order in their lives. Some of the basic
security and safety needs include:
• Financial security
• Health and wellness
• Safety against accidents and injury
• Finding a job, obtaining health insurance and health care,
contributing money to a savings account, and moving to a safer
neighborhood are all examples of actions motivated by security and
safety needs.
Love and Belonging

• The social needs in Maslow’s hierarchy include love, acceptance, and

belonging. At this level, the need for emotional relationships drives human
behavior. Some of the things that satisfy this need include:
• Friendships
• Romantic attachments
• Family relationships
• Social groups
• Community groups
• Churches and religious organizations
• In order to avoid loneliness, depression, and anxiety, it is important for people
to feel loved and accepted by others. Personal relationships with friends,
family, and lovers play an important role, as does involvement in groups—
such as religious groups, sports teams, book clubs, and other group activities.
Esteem Needs

• At the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy is the need for

appreciation and respect. Once the needs at the bottom
three levels have been satisfied, the esteem needs begin
to play a more prominent role in motivating behavior.

• At this level, it becomes increasingly important to gain the

respect and appreciation of others. People have a need to
accomplish things, then have their efforts recognized. In
addition to the need for feelings of accomplishment and
prestige, esteem needs include such things as self-esteem
and personal worth.
• People need to sense that they are valued by others and feel
that they are making a contribution to the world. Participation
in professional activities, academic accomplishments, athletic
or team participation, and personal hobbies can all play a role
in fulfilling the esteem needs.

• People who are able to satisfy esteem needs by achieving

good self-esteem and the recognition of others tend to feel
confident in their abilities.3 Conversely, those who lack self-
esteem and the respect of others can develop
feelings of inferiority.
Self-Actualization Needs

• At the very peak of Maslow’s hierarchy are the self-actualization

needs. Self-actualizing people are self-aware, concerned with
personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others, and
interested in fulfilling their potential.
• "What a man can be, he must be," Maslow explained, referring to
the need people have to achieve their full potential as human
beings.
• Maslow’s said of self-actualization: "It may be loosely described as
the full use and exploitation of talents, capabilities, potentialities,
etc. Such people seem to be fulfilling themselves and to be doing
the best that they are capable of doing. They are people who have
developed or are developing to the full stature of which they
capable."
Progressing Through the Pyramid of
Needs
• Maslow's hierarchy of needs is often displayed as a pyramid.
The lowest levels of the pyramid of needs are made up of the
most basic needs while the most complex needs are at the
top.
• Once lower-level needs have been met, people can move on
to the next level of needs. As people progress up the pyramid,
needs become increasingly psychological and social.
• At the top of the pyramid, the need for personal esteem and
feelings of accomplishment take priority. Like Carl Rogers,
Maslow emphasized the importance of self-actualization,
which is a process of growing and developing as a person in
order to achieve individual potential.
Different Types of Needs

• Maslow's hierarchy of needs can be separated into two

types of needs: deficiency needs and growth needs.4
• Deficiency needs: Physiological, security, social, and
esteem needs are deficiency needs, which arise due to
deprivation. Satisfying these lower-level needs is
important to avoid unpleasant feelings or
consequences.
• Growth needs: Maslow called the needs at the top of
the pyramid growth needs. These needs don't stem
from a lack of something, but rather from a desire to
grow as a person.
Criticisms of Maslow’s Theory

• Maslow's theory has become wildly popular both in and

out of psychology. The fields of education and business
have been particularly influenced by the theory. But
Maslow's concept has not been without criticism. Chief
among the long-held objections are:
• Needs don't follow a hierarchy: While some research has
shown support for Maslow's theories, most of the research has not
been able to substantiate the idea of a needs hierarchy. Wahba
and Bridwell (researchers from Baruch College) reported that there
was little evidence for Maslow's ranking of these needs and even
less evidence that these needs are in a hierarchical order.5

• The theory is difficult to test: Other critics of Maslow's theory

note that his definition of self-actualization is difficult to test
scientifically.6 His research on self-actualization was also based on
a very limited sample of individuals, including people he knew as
well as biographies of famous individuals who Maslow believed to
be self-actualized.
Impact of Maslow's Hierarchy

• Regardless of these criticisms, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

represented part of an important shift in psychology.
Rather than focusing on abnormal behavior and
development, Maslow's humanistic psychology was
focused on the development of healthy individuals.

• There has been relatively little research supporting

Maslow's theory, yet the hierarchy of needs is well-known
and popular both in and out of psychology. And in
a study published in 2011, researchers from the University
of Illinois set out to put this hierarchy to the test.
• What they discovered is that, while the fulfillment of the
needs was strongly correlated with happiness, people
from cultures all over the world reported that self-
actualization and social needs were important even
when many of the most basic needs were unfulfilled.

• Such results suggest that while these needs can be

powerful motivators of human behavior, they do not
necessarily take the hierarchical form that Maslow
described.
The Expanded Hierarchy of Needs

• In 1970, Maslow built upon his original hierarchy to include three

additional needs at the top of his pyramid, for a total of eight:

• Cognitive needs. This centers on knowledge. People generally want

to learn and know things about their world and their places in it.
• Aesthetic needs. This addresses the appreciation of beauty and
form. People might fulfill this need through enjoying or creating
music, art, literature, and other creative expressions.
• Transcendence needs. Maslow believed that humans are driven to
look beyond the physical self in search of meaning. Helping others,
practicing spirituality, and connecting with nature are a few ways we
might meet this need.