Motivation and Behavior

     Motivation can be defined as the reason a person has for acting or behaving in a particular way that can initiates, guides, or maintains goal-oriented behaviors.  Motivation is biological, emotional, social and cognitive forces that trigger a certain behavior. Activation, persistence and intensity are three factors in motivation.  Activation is the choice to introduce a behavior.  Persistence is the continuation to reach a goal despite the obstacles that might lie ahead. Intensity is the focus and energy that goes into pursuing a goal.

     Some theories of motivation include but are not limited to instincts, drives and needs, arousal levels and explicit. Instincts theory of motivation implies that behaviors are motivated by instincts. An instinct is a set of natural behaviors. These instincts might include biological instincts that are important for a person survival such as fear, cleanliness and love. The drives and needs theory implies that people have basic biological drives and that our behaviors are motivated by the need to fulfill these drives.

     The arousal theory of motivation implies that people are motivated to involve in behaviors that help them maintain their best level of arousal. A person with a low arousal need might pursue relaxing activities while those with high arousal needs might be motivated to engage in exciting, thrill-seeking activities. Explicit motives are expressed through deliberate choices and more often stimulated for extrinsic reasons. Individuals with strong implicit needs to achieve goals set higher internal standards, whereas others tend to adhere to the societal norms. These two motives often work together to determine the behavior of the individual in direction and passion.

     Explicit and implicit motivations have a compelling impact on behavior. Task behaviors are accelerated in the face of a challenge through implicit motivation, making performing a task in the most effective manner the primary goal. A person with a strong implicit drive will feel pleasure from achieving a goal in the most efficient way. The increase in effort and overcoming the challenge by mastering the task satisfies the individual. However, the explicit motives are built around a person's self-image. This type of motivation shapes a person's behavior based on their own self-view and can influence their choices and responses from outside indications. The primary agent for this type of motivation is perception or perceived ability.

     Motivation theory also has very strong ties to behavioral psychology. In fact much of the goals behind motivation can be described in terms of positive reinforcement. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation can usually be attributed to a desired positive outcome, whether it is pleasure gained by accomplishing the task, or rewards such as money or social status that is expected in the future. The behavioral field of psychology has much to say about education and teaching, and a lot of it echoes what is presented in motivation theory. Although behavioral psychology is more often used in an educational environment to treat problematic and disruptive behaviors, much success has been made applying behavioral methods to strengthen positive academic behaviors, both with normal and mentally disabled students.

     In 1954 Abraham Maslow did research on human motivation. In his research he developed the hierarchy of human needs, in which, he divided into two group’s deficiency needs and growth needs. There are four levels of deficiency need. They are physiological, safety/security, belongingness and love, and esteem.  Physiological deals with hunger, thirst, and bodily comforts. Safety and security means being out of danger. Belongingness and love is being accepted and affiliate with other people. Esteem is gaining approval and recognition or to achieve. Within the deficiency of needs, each lower need must be met before moving to the next higher level. Once each of these needs has been satisfied, if at some future time a deficiency is detected, the individual will act to remove the deficiency.

     Individual are ready to act upon the growth needs if and only if the deficiency needs are met. In the beginning Maslow's initial conceptualization included only one growth need and that was self-actualization. Self-actualized people are characterized by being problem-focused, incorporating an ongoing freshness of appreciation of life, having a concern about personal growth and having the ability to have peak experiences. Maslow later separated the growth need of self-actualization into a general level and beyond which develop into four growth needs. They are cognitive, aesthetic, self-actualization and self-transcendence. Cognitive is a need to understand, to know and explore. Aesthetic has to deals with order and beauty. Self-actualization deals with self-fulfillment and one’s potential. Self-transcendence deals with connecting to something beyond your ego.