Motivation

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Motivation

• Definition and Relevance
• Theories of Motivation
• - VIE Theory
• - Need Theories
• - Cognitive Theories

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Definition

• A tendency to expend effort to achieve goals
• Task persistence
• Task involvement
• Goal directed behavior

3
VIE Theory

• Valence
• Instrumentality
• Expectancy

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VIE Theory

• Valence - The importance (valence) of the reward
  is the reward important?

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VIE Theory

• Instrumentality - Does one believe that improved
  performance leads to greater rewards?

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VIE Theory

• Expectancy - Does one believe that increased
  effort leads to improved performance?

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V I E
Skills
Opportunity
Motivation
Performance
Performance

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VIE Theory

• Motivation is only one determinant of performance
• Performance is also influenced by
  abilities/traits and role perceptions and
  opportunities

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Need-Based Theories

• A need is defined as a state of tension
• The goal of all behavior is the satisfaction of
  needs, and the reduction of tension

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Murrays Need-Based Theory

• Defines two types of needs Primary
  (Viscerogenic), and Secondary (Psychogenic)
• Needs develop as a result of an environmental
  press

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Murrays Theory

• Primary (Viscerogenic) needs are physical needs
  common to all organisms
• Secondary (Psychogenic) needs are learned needs

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Murrays Theory

• Press - an environmental experience which has a
  significant impact upon the life of an organism
  results in the development of a need

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Maslows Need-based Theory

• Defines five needs arranged in hierarchical
  order physiological, safety, love, esteem, and
  self-actualization

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Maslows Theory

• Physiological needs are physical needs common to
  all (e.g. need for food, water)
• Safety needs refer to the need to remain free of
  physical or psychological harm

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Maslows Theory

• Love needs refer to the need for social
  acceptance
• Esteem needs refer to the need to master life
  experiences the need for success

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Maslows Theory

• Self actualization needs refer to the need to
  reach ones creative potential to be all that
  one is capable of being

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Higher Order Lower Strength Needs
Self Actualiz- ation
Esteem
Love/Belongingness
Safety

Lower Order Higher Strength Needs
Physiological
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Growth
Self Actualiz- ation
Esteem
Relatedness
Love/Belongingness
Safety
Existence

Physiological
Alderfers ERG Theory
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Cognitive Theories of Motivation

• Suggest that motivation is a function of
  cognition and thought that is, what we think
  about what is happening influences motivation
• Achievement Theory
• Attribution Theory

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Achievement Theory

• Suggests that motivation is a function of the
  interaction between ones need for
  achievement/fear of failure and the difficulty
  level of the task

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Achievement Theory

• The need for achievement can be defined as a
  tendency to approach new/novel tasks
• The fear of failure can be defined as a tendency
  to avoid new/novel tasks

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High Need for Achievement
Low Need for
Achievement
Low Fear of Failure
High Fear of
Failure
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Task Difficulty
Easy
Moderate
Difficult






High Need for

Ach.



Low


Need for Ach.
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Task Difficulty
Easy
Moderate
Difficult



Low Motivation
Low Motivation
High Motivation
High Need for

Ach.
High Motivation
Low Motivation
High Motivation
Low


Need for Ach.
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Initial Success
Initial Failure


High Need for
Ach.
Low
Need for Ach.
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Initial Success
Initial Failure

Motivation Decreases
Motivation Increases
High Need for
Ach.
Low
Motivation Increases
Motivation Decreases
Need for Ach.
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Attribution Theory

• Suggests that motivation is influenced by the
  reasons we give ourselves (attributions) for our
  successes and our failures
• Suggests four attributions ability, effort, task
  difficulty, luck

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Attribution Theory

• These four attributions (ability, effort, task
  difficulty, luck) can be categorized along two
  dimensions locus of control (internal, external)
  and stability (stable, unstable)

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Stable Unstable




Ability
Effort
Internal
Task Difficulty
Luck
External
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Attribution Theory

• Motivation is high when we attribute our
  successes and failures to internal factors like
  ability and effort
• Motivation is low when we attribute our successes
  and failures to external factors like task
  difficulty and luck

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Attribution Theory

• Suggests motivation will decrease when we
  attribute our failures to stable factors like
  ability and task difficulty
• Suggests motivation may increase when we
  attribute our failures to unstable factors like
  effort