And Why High Schoolers Don't
Motivation is the force that drives every behavior. It is scientifically defined to include all the processes that are involved in the initiation, directing, and maintaining of physical and psychological activities (Gerrig). Simply put, it is the need or desire to do something (Power of Motivation).
There are a number of different types of motivators, including biological, social, and emotional. In order to survive, everyone is motivated by biological drives that are designed to keep us alive. However, because we are all so unique - in our genes, environments, interactions, goals, desires, dreams, ages, and everything else - we must similarly have a unique set of non-biological things that motivate us.
Biological Motivators are driven by the innate desire to survive, which usually results from maintaining a state of biological equilibrium: not hungry, body temperature steady, heart rate steady, etc.
One example of a biological motivation that we have all experienced is the feeling of hunger. Theis feeling in our stomach evolved as a way to signal us that our body requires more nutrients and energy. This motivator drives us to a certain behavior, which is to eat.
Abraham Maslow's theory of human motivation follows the pyramid - shown to the right. He states that the first and most basic need is psysiological (Mcleod). This includes the basic biological needs of breathing, food, water, sex, sleep, homeostsis, and excretion. After the psysiological needs comes safety, love and belonging, esteem, and finally self-actualization (Mcleod). According to Maslow, one cannot move up in the heirarchy until their most basic needs are met (Mcleod).
In stating that each of the levels of the pyramid are "needs," Maslow suggested that they are the motivators of all of our behaviors, as we act in attempt to satisfy one of these needs (Mcleod). Eating, as described above, is a behavior driven by the psysiologial need described in the heirarchy. Most everyone gets a job in order to make money to support themselves and their families. We socialize to make friends and have relationships so they feel loved. We sometimes participate in competitions to win prizes that give us confidence and respect by others. And many people read or have discussions to learn about themselves and the world.
What is Motivation?
Biological Motivators
Maslow
Evolutionary Perspective
The Evolutionary Perspective on Motivation is similar to the Biological Perspective in that behavior is driven by innate programming. In the Evolutionary Perspective, all actions are a result of instinctual "drives." However, it was realized that just because a tendency exists, doesn't mean it is supposed to exist (Power of Motivation). The revised definition of instinct is: a complex and unlearned behavior that has a fixed pattern throughout a species (Power of Motivation). To illustrate this, we can look at people watching a sports game. We aren't innately "supposed" to get super rialed up about a competition we aren't part of, but there is a definate pattern throughout humans in which we do that.
The Evolutionary Theory of Motivation is based on the principal of natural selection: that those whose instinctual behaviors best help them pass on their genes to the next generation, will survive (Boundless). Some examples of evolutionary-based trait that influence our behavior are our fondness of sugar, which helped our distant ancestors to find the nutrients they needed to survive, and a mother's protection of her baby, which ensured the baby's survival.
The Optomization Theory is an extension of the Evolutionary Theory, but assesses the success of a behavior. This version suggests that individuals are motivated to adopt strategic behaviors that give them the most energy input but the least energy output (Boundless).
Maslow's Heirarchy is a widely known and respected theory, as it is complete and has a place for nearly every behavior. However, a commonly claimed flaw with the pyramid is that it often isn't followed sequentially. Despite the fact that someone may partake in behaviors that fall under the self-actualization level, they may, at times, feel unsafe or in need of food or water.