problem 1 - motivation Flashcards
instincts, needs & drives
Instincts = inborn tendencies that are thought to direct behavior
Need = internal motivation that is thought to be inborn and universally present in humans
Drive = nonhuman equivalent of “motives” and “needs”
behaviorist approach to motivation
placed the emphasis for behavior and directed activity on the environment rather than on any internal needs or instincts
2 types of motivation
extrinsic = the source of motivation lies outside the person themselves - e.g. getting a reward for certain behavior
intrinsic = the motivation comes from within the person - the person enjoys the task or decides for themselves that they want to perform it
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
proposed that all humans have a basic set of needs that express themselves over the life span of the individual as internal “pushes” or drives
- Identified 5 basic needs sets
- Individuals would be motivated to fulfill the most basic set of unfulfilled needs
- needs are ordered in a hierarchy - lowest are ‘physical needs’ then ‘psychological needs’ then ‘self-fulfillment need
criticism: explanation & description of needs are pretty vague = theory is hard to test + little empirical supprt
what are the 5 need sets in Maslows theory?
- Self-actualization needs – refer to the desire to develop ones capacities to the fullest. (almost never achieved)
- Esteem needs – associated with being respected for accomplishments or capabilities.
- Love or social needs – associated with interpersonal factors: an individual’s desire to be accepted by others.
- Security needs – the need an individual has to produce a secure environment
- Physiological needs – basic needs/drives and are satisfied by things like food, water and sleep
Alderfer’s ERG theory
expansion of Maslow’s theory
- 3 instead of 5 needs
- needs are ordered in a continuum rather than hierarchy = less distinct separation between needs
- existence needs (physiological & safety), relatedness needs (external esteem + social/love) & growth needs (internal esteem + self-actualization)
Herberg’s 2 factor theory
Suggested that there were really two basic needs, not five , and that they were not so much hierarchically arranged as independent of each other
Hygiene needs = lower level needs
- meeting these needs would eliminate dissatisfaction but would not result in motivated behavior or a state of positive satisfaction
Motivator needs = higher level needs
- meeting such needs resulted in the expenditure of effort as well as situation
- Social needs, esteem needs & self-actualization needs - leads to motivated behavior
criticism: not supported by research but very influencial
Vroom’s VIE theory (expectancy theory)
individuals rationally estimate the relative attractiveness/unattractiveness of different rewards or outcomes (valence), the probability that performance will lead to particular outcomes or rewards (instrumentality), and the probability that effort will lead to performance (expectancy)
- Valence = the value of an outcome for a person - can be pos or neg
- Instrumentality = the extent to which a person believes that a certain behavior will lead to a certain reward
- Expectancy = the extent to which the person believes that they can successfully perform the behavior that will lead to a desired outcome
criticism: personality & emotional factors left out – assumes humans are too rational which is not achievable
Adam’s equity theory
individuals look at their world in terms of comparative inputs and outcomes, individuals compare their inputs and outcomes with others
- Inputs = the training, effort, skills, and abilities that employees bring to or invest in their work
- Outcomes = the compensation, satisfaction, and other benefits employees derive from their work
- Comparison other = a co-worker or idealized other person to which the individual compares themself in determining perceived equity
- Outcome/input ratio = ratio that results when employees compare their inputs and outcomes to those of others
If they think it is unfair, they will do something about it e.g. quit or ask for raise – also makes them less motivated to work
If they think it’s fair – increases motivation.
Locke’s goal setting theory
the properties of a goal & the attitudes toward it are influenced by stimulants, self-perceptions & the way in which the goal is set - determine behavioral strategies - leads to achievements
- difficult goals lead to better perf, so long as they are adopted by the individuals themselves
- specific goals lead to better perf than abstract, ‘try ur best’ goals - specific have a clear intention
- feedback is essential - leads to info & motivation
- pos outcomes of a goal depend partially on behavioral intensity & persistence to achieve the goal
Bandura’s self-efficacy theory
Self-efficacy = the belief in one’s capability to perform a specific task or reach a specific goal
Wood and Bandura (1989) suggest four separate avenues:
- Mastery experiences: successful performance of challenging tasks strengthens beliefs in one’s capabilities, whereas failures decrease those beliefs
- Modeling: people compare their capabilities with those of others – see someone similar to yourself succeed at a difficult task = your own efficacy beliefs can be strengthened and vice versa
- Social persuasion: individuals can be encouraged by others who express confidence in their ability to accomplish a difficult task
- Physiological states: when people experience the symptoms of stress or fatigue, they tend to interpret this as an indication that the task exceeds their capabilities, thus reducing their feelings of efficacy
Hackman & Oldham’s job characteristics model (JCM)
Five core characteristics of a job, given a numerical value and are then combined into a single index called the motivating potential score (MPS)
1. Task significance = how the job affects other people, e.g., social work.
2. Skill variety = the variety of skills needed to complete the job, e.g., pilot.
3. Task identity = the extent to which a job requires that you do tasks from beginning to the finished project, e.g., carpenter
4. Autonomy = the extent to which a person can make their own choices, e.g., a CEO
5. Feedback = the extent of how much and how fast they get feedback, e.g., any job that works w clients
Fairness theory (Cropanzano)
expanded on equity theory & distinguished between diff types of fairness
distributive justice = the fairness of decision outcomes like pay and promotions
- A decision is considered fair when it conforms to a chosen norm of allocation
- When better performers get better pay = the “equity norm”
procedural justice = the fairness of the process that leads to decision outcomes
- Individuals tend to be more satisfied with decision outcomes + perceive outcomes as more fair when they had a say during the process
interactional justice = the extent to which employees are treated with the same amount of respect
motivation potential score (JCM)
MPS =
(skill variety + task identity + task significance) /3 x autonomy x feedback
individuals need for growth (JCM)
motivation depends on the extent to which the individual desires to grow
- job characteristics do correlate w motivation & satisfaction, but not clearly with individual or org performance
- probably no causal relationship
