SLK CHAPTER 10 Theories of motives and emotions
Motivational theories and concepts
• Emotions : feelings associated with various forms of activity for e.g. we mad when someone’s
mean to us
• Motives: Why we behave in a specific way
– What ‘moves’ people to act
– Goal directed behaviour
-E.g. you drived to get a degree because you want money
• Emotions and motivations closely related
-If you think lectures is boring you lack the motivation to do it.
– Angry about rhino poaching = motivated to donate to rhino fund
What is motivation?
• Theories of motivation focuses on The why:
– Why do people perform some action over others? Direction of
behaviour
– Why they continue with a specific behaviour? Persistence.
– Why people work hard (or not) at what they are doing? intensity /
Arousal.
• Motives: set of processes that arouse, direct and maintain behaviour toward attaining a specific
goal
– Needs, interests, and desires that drive people in certain directions
Biological Theories
• Built-in biological mechanisms
• Organisms do something because it is in their nature
– E.g. migration of birds / cats catching mice its all motivated.
Instincts
• Some human behaviour motivated by instincts
• Innate tendencies to behave in certain ways
–E.g. Babies know how to find milk from mother
• Problems with instinct theory: “Person does something because it's instinct. How do we know it’s
instinct? Because he does it!“
-It’s a circular argument.
, – Human behaviour too complex for ‘just instinct’.
Built in behaviour can be modified by experience
• Some behaviour is innate:
– In tense situations = revert to behaviours that make us feel safe e.g. rubbing our hands for touch.
Drives
• Motivation based on biological drives
• Drive is internal state of tension that motivates us to engage in activities to reduce tension
-EG when you are cold you start shivering.
– Clark Hull : people have internal biological needs that motivates them to behave in a certain ways
• E.g. Hungry? = Look for something to eat
– Concept of drive derived from Walter Cannon :
• Organisms seek to maintain a state of homoeostasis
– A state of physiological balance or stability
• E.g. - human Body temperature
A drive- internal state of tension that motivates organisms to engage in activities
that reduce tension
– Considered disruption of homoeostasis
• Drives motivates us to take steps that will lead to the reduction of the drive
– E.g. hunger & thirst motive (physiological motives)
Dependencies
• Drugs or alcohol dependence are major examples of dependencies
• Go into the blood stream and cause biological changes at neural level
• Body struggles to function normally without it (similar to hunger)
Incentive theories
• Proposes that external stimuli regulates motivational states
• Incentive - an external goal that has the ability to motivate behaviour
– E.g. treat / cash prize
• Drive and incentive theories contrasted as push vs pull theories
– Internal states push us to act in certain ways (internal/ biological stimuli) VS.
– Incentives that pull people in specific directions (external/ environmental stimuli)
Positive & negative motivational forces
Motivational theories and concepts
• Emotions : feelings associated with various forms of activity for e.g. we mad when someone’s
mean to us
• Motives: Why we behave in a specific way
– What ‘moves’ people to act
– Goal directed behaviour
-E.g. you drived to get a degree because you want money
• Emotions and motivations closely related
-If you think lectures is boring you lack the motivation to do it.
– Angry about rhino poaching = motivated to donate to rhino fund
What is motivation?
• Theories of motivation focuses on The why:
– Why do people perform some action over others? Direction of
behaviour
– Why they continue with a specific behaviour? Persistence.
– Why people work hard (or not) at what they are doing? intensity /
Arousal.
• Motives: set of processes that arouse, direct and maintain behaviour toward attaining a specific
goal
– Needs, interests, and desires that drive people in certain directions
Biological Theories
• Built-in biological mechanisms
• Organisms do something because it is in their nature
– E.g. migration of birds / cats catching mice its all motivated.
Instincts
• Some human behaviour motivated by instincts
• Innate tendencies to behave in certain ways
–E.g. Babies know how to find milk from mother
• Problems with instinct theory: “Person does something because it's instinct. How do we know it’s
instinct? Because he does it!“
-It’s a circular argument.
, – Human behaviour too complex for ‘just instinct’.
Built in behaviour can be modified by experience
• Some behaviour is innate:
– In tense situations = revert to behaviours that make us feel safe e.g. rubbing our hands for touch.
Drives
• Motivation based on biological drives
• Drive is internal state of tension that motivates us to engage in activities to reduce tension
-EG when you are cold you start shivering.
– Clark Hull : people have internal biological needs that motivates them to behave in a certain ways
• E.g. Hungry? = Look for something to eat
– Concept of drive derived from Walter Cannon :
• Organisms seek to maintain a state of homoeostasis
– A state of physiological balance or stability
• E.g. - human Body temperature
A drive- internal state of tension that motivates organisms to engage in activities
that reduce tension
– Considered disruption of homoeostasis
• Drives motivates us to take steps that will lead to the reduction of the drive
– E.g. hunger & thirst motive (physiological motives)
Dependencies
• Drugs or alcohol dependence are major examples of dependencies
• Go into the blood stream and cause biological changes at neural level
• Body struggles to function normally without it (similar to hunger)
Incentive theories
• Proposes that external stimuli regulates motivational states
• Incentive - an external goal that has the ability to motivate behaviour
– E.g. treat / cash prize
• Drive and incentive theories contrasted as push vs pull theories
– Internal states push us to act in certain ways (internal/ biological stimuli) VS.
– Incentives that pull people in specific directions (external/ environmental stimuli)
Positive & negative motivational forces
