Motivation

Question 1

define motivation

Answer 1

Describes why a person does something. It is the driving force behind human actions. Motivation is the process that initiates, guides & maintains goal-oriented behaviours. It includes the physiological, emotional, social & cognitive forces that activate human behaviour.

Question 2

list the sources of motivation

Answer 2

1. physiological
2. cognitions
3. emotions
4. social

Question 3

define emotions

Answer 3

Reactions that human beings experience in response to events or situations. Type of emotion a person experiences is determined by the circumstance that triggers the emotion.

Question 4

list examples of physiological needs in humans

Answer 4

• hunger
• thirst
• sex
• temperature
• excretory
• sleep & rest
• activity
• aggression

Question 5

list examples of social needs in humans

Answer 5

• achievement
• need for social bonds
• autonomy
• nurturance motivation
• dominance
• exhibition motive
• order motive
• play motive

Question 6

define self determination

Answer 6

Self-determination refers to a person’s ability to make choices and manage their own life. Being self-determined means that you feel in greater control, as opposed to being non-self-determined, which can leave you feeling that your life is controlled by others.

Question 7

what is the self determination theory?

Answer 7

It seeks to explain how being self-determined impacts motivation—that people feel more motivated to take action when they think that what they do will have an effect on the outcome

Question 8

who is behind the self determination theory?

Answer 8

Deci and Ryan

Question 9

what theory did Deci & Ryan create?

Answer 9

Self-determination theory

Question 10

list the 4 characteristics of the SDT?

Answer 10

1. The need for growth drives behaviour
2. People are intrinsically motivated by things that satisfy their basic psychological needs
3. Autonomous motivation is important
4. SDT is based on a spectrum or continuum

Question 11

define intrinsic motivation

Answer 11

when people participate in an activity or complete a task because they will benefit from it. It depends on the individual’s own attitudes & beliefs. It has greater endurance than extrinsic motivation. It focuses primarily on internal sources of motivation, such as learning to gain independence & wanting to prove yourself.

Question 12

define extrinsic motivation

Answer 12

when people participate in an activity or complete a task because they will receive something in return

Question 13

define amotivation

Answer 13

lack of or absence of drive to engage in any activity. They are only performed because they have to get done – not out of enjoyment or because it fulfills the individual, rather because the individual has little to no choice on whether they want to partake in said behaviour. This leads to a lack of control given that this behaviour is not done willingly.

Question 14

list the 3 psychological needs for motivation

Answer 14

1. competence
2. relatedness
3. autonomy

Question 15

define competence

Answer 15

describes someone who has sufficient qualities to perform a given task or to describe the state of having sufficient intellect, judgement, skill &/or strength

Question 16

define relatedness

Answer 16

ability to feel a sense of both attachment to other people & a sense of belonging amongst other people or a social group.

Question 17

define autonomy

Answer 17

ability to feel in control of 1’s behaviour & destiny & involves self-initiation & self-regulation of 1’s own behaviour.

Question 18

what are the limitations/weaknesses of the SDT?

Answer 18

Theory doesn’t account for social & cultural factors that influence motivation & behaviour

Criticised for placing too much emphasis on individualistic cultures & neglecting role of collectivist cultures in shaping motivation & behaviour

It’s too complex & has low predictive power

Question 19

what are the strengths of the SDT?

Answer 19

Can be applied to range of topics & has generated large amount of research in last decades.

Question 20

who created the hierarchy of needs?

Answer 20

Maslow

Question 21

What theory did Maslow create?

Answer 21

The hierarchy of needs

Question 22

list the 5 levels of the hierarchy of needs?

Answer 22

1. physiological needs
2. safety needs
3. love & belongingness needs
4. esteem needs
5. self-actualisation needs

Question 23

define physiological needs

Answer 23

biological requirements for human survival e.g. air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth, sex & sleep

Question 24

define safety needs

Answer 24

people want to experience order, predictability & control in their lives

Question 25

define love & belongingness needs

Answer 25

refers to a human emotional need for interpersonal relationships, affiliating, connectedness & being part of a group

Question 26

define esteem needs

Answer 26

4th level in Maslow’s hierarchy & include self-worth, accomplishment & respect

Question 27

define self-actualisation needs

Answer 27

highest level in Maslow’s hierarchy & refer to the realisation of a person’s potential, self-fulfilment, seeking personal growth & peak experiences

Question 28

define deficiency needs

Answer 28

concerned with basic survival & include physiological needs & safety needs, love & belongingness needs & esteem needs

Question 29

define growth needs

Answer 29

more physiological & associated with realising individual’s full potential & needing to ‘self-actualise’. These needs are achieved more through intellectual & creative behaviours

Question 30

list the 3 needs Maslow added to his updated model

Answer 30

1. cognitive needs 2. aesthetic needs 3. transcendence needs

Question 31

define cognitive needs

Answer 31

knowledge & understanding, curiosity, exploration, need for meaning, & predictability

Question 32

define aesthetic needs

Answer 32

appreciation & search for beauty, balance, form, etc. Fulfilling these needs leads to deeper sense of satisfaction & harmony in life, as individuals seek enviros & experiences that are pleasing & resonant with their sense of beauty

Question 33

define transcendence needs

Answer 33

a person is motivated by values that transcend beyond the personal self. Beyond self-actualisation, they represent human desire to connect with a higher reality, purpose or universe

Question 34

list some limitations of Maslow's model

Answer 34

Most significant limitation: his methodology. Used a qualitative method called biographical analysis Looked at biographies & writings of 18 people (small sample size therefore not representative & can’t be generalised to wider population) From scientific perspective, this method is extremely subjective as it’s based entirely on the opinion of the researcher. Personal opinion is always prone to bias which reduces the validity of the data. (not valid) Biased sample: highly educated white males (small, biased sample size therefore not representative & can’t be generalised to wider population Small proportion of females in his sample, but can’t generalise to females & individuals from lower social classes or ethnicity

Question 35

list some strengths of Maslow's model

Answer 35

Positive & optimistic focus on human potential & growth emphasising self-actualisation & transcendence – suggest capacity for personal growth & fulfilment Has practical applications Significant influence on psychology shaping motivation & personal development Explains why individuals prioritise certain needs over others

Question 36

list the characteristics of self-actualised people as defined by Maslow

Answer 36

- highly creative - accept themselves & others for what they are - unusual sense of humour - democratic attitudes - strong moral/ethical standards - perceive reality efficiently & can tolerate uncertainty - concerned for welfare of humanity - problem-focused - able to look at life objectively - need for privacy - spontaneous in thought & action - resistant to enculturation - capable of deep appreciation of basic life experience - establish deep satisfying interpersonal relationships with a few people - peak experiences