Motivaton Theories

Motivation Theories 
Definition 
Motivation is the internal condition that activates behaviour and gives it direction; energizes and directs goal-oriented behaviour .Motivation is basic psychological process. Like the other cogenitive processes motivation can't be seen. All that can be seen is behaviour.  Motivation is a hypothetical construct that used to help explain behaviour;  it should not be equated with behaviour. 

Technically the term 'motivation "can  be traced to the Latin word 'movere' , which means "to move". This meaning is evident in the following comprehensive definition: motivation is a process that starts with a physiological or psychological deficiency or need that activates a behaviour or a drive that is aimed at a goal or incentive. Thus the key to understanding the process of motivation lies in the meaning of and relationship among needs ,drives and incentives. 


1. Needs : Needs are created whenever there is a physiological or psychological imbalance.  Although psychological needs may be based on a deficiency sometimes they are not . For example an individual with a strong needs to get ahead may have a history of consistent success.

2. Drives: Drives or motives are set up to alleviate needs. A phydrological drive can be simply defined as deficiency with direction.  Physiological and psychological drives are action oriented and provide an energising thrust toward reaching an incentive. 


3. Incentives: At the end of the motivation cycle is the incentive defined as anything that will alleviate a need and reduce a drive. Thus attaining an incentive will tend to restore physiological or psychological balance and will reduce or cut off the drive .


The Basic Motivation Process
NEEDS       DRIVES            INCENTIVES



Types of Motives
●Primary Motives: Some motives are unlearned and physiologically based. Such motives are various called physiological, biological , unlearned or primary. Two criteria must be met in order for a motive to be included in the primary classification : It must be unlearned and it must be physiologically based. Thus defined the most commonly recognised primary motives include hunger, thirst, sleep, avoidance of pain ,sex and maternal concern.


●General Motives : To be included  in the general category a motive must be unlearned but not physiologically based. Whereas the primary needs seek to reduce the tension or stimulation these general needs induce the person to increase the amount of stimulation.  Thus these needs are sometimes called "stimulus motives". E. g. Curiosity manipulation , affection and activity motives.


●Secondary Motives: As a human society develops economically and becomes more complex the primary drives and to a lesser degree the general  drives give way to the learned secondary drives in motivating behaviour.  A motive must be learned in order to be included in the secondary classification. E. g. Need for achievement ,need for security ,need for power, need  for affiliation, need for status etc.


Motivation  Theories
The content theories go as far back as the turn of the 20th century when pioneering scientific managers such as Frederick W. Taylor, Frank Gilbreth and Henry L. Gantt proposed sophisticated wage incentive model to motivate worker . Next came the human relations movement and then the content theories of Marlow, Herzberg and Alderfer. Following the content movement were the process theories. Based mainly on cogenitive concept of expectancy the process theories are most closely associated with the work of pioneering social psychologists Kurt Lewin and Edward Tolman and then organizational behaviour scholars Victor Vroom, Lyman Porter and Ed Lawler. 

Finally with roots in social psychology, equity and its derivative procedural /Organizational justice and attribution theories have received attention in work motivation. 


The Content Theories of Work Motivation
The content theories of work motivation attempt to find out what it is that motivates people at work. The content theories are concerned with identifying  the needs and drives that people have and how these needs and drives are prioritised.  They are concerned with the types of incentives or goals that people strive to attain in order to be satisfied and perform well . The content theories are referred to as largely "static " because they incorporate only one or a few points in time and are either past or present time oriented. Therefore they do not necessarily predict work motivation  or behaviour but they are still important to understanding  what motivates people at work.
●Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory
●Herzberg 's two factor theory
●Alderfer 's  ERG theory

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