Motivation  What is motivation? -the need or desire that energizes behavior and directs it towards a goal -Examples: Finding Nemo

Achievement Motivation  David McClelland: argued that achievement motivation is of the utmost importance. -Achievement Motivation: the need to master difficult challenges, to outperform others, and to meet high standards of excellence

Achievement Motivation  John Atkinson: elaborated extensively on McClelland’s original theory of achievement motivation and has identified some important situational determinants of achievement behavior

Instincts and Evolutionary Psychology  What are instincts? -complex behaviors that are fixed patterns throughout different species and are not learned. Also called fixed action pattern -Example: Bird’s migration, imprinting in birds, return of salmon to their birth place. Humans: rooting effect in babies or when someone hits your knee

Instincts and Evolutionary Psychology  The Evolutionary Approach. This perspective emphasizes the role of instincts (unlearned patterns of behavior) in motivation. -McDougall and Freud are figures associated with the early instinct theories of motivation. The contemporary view is that instincts do influence behaviors, particularly those behaviors that are common to all members of a species.  Instinct came from Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution  Instinct theorist didn’t want to explain human behavior, they wanted to name it  Evolution for example, affects phobias, or romantic behaviors

Drives and Incentives  The original instinct theory of motivation collapsed -formed/replaced by drive reduction theory  Drive-reduction theory -the idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need ex. eating or drinking -drive-reduction theory:  When a physiological need increases so does a psychological drive -drive- an aroused motivated state

Homeostasis (the physiological aim of drive reduction)  What is Homeostasis? -a tendency to maintain a balanced or consistent internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body around a particular level -we are pushed by our “need” to reduce drives, we also are pulled by incentives.

Optimum Arousal Theory.  What is Optimum Arousal Theory? -Rather than seeking some biologically based balance, the optimum arousal theory says that people are motivated to reach an optimal state of alertness or activation.  Yerkes-Dodson theory predicts that people perform better at a moderate level of arousal.  Also related to this theory is the observation that people differ in the level at which they enjoy and seek stimulation. Sensation-seeking is a motivation to experience new and intense experiences.

Optimum Arousal  Some motivated behaviors actually increase arousal.  Well fed animals will leave their shelters, seemingly absence of any need based drive.  Curiosity drives organisms to do things, meaningless or not meaningless.  Human motivations aims to seek optimum levels of arousal.  Driven to experience to feel stimulation.  Lacking brain stimulation, we feel bored and want to raise arousal to optimum level.  Too much? we will decrease to avoid stress.  Lower arousal for more difficult or intellectual tasks high for endurance or persistence.

Examples  MxyuOk (optimum arousal on a roller coaster). MxyuOk MxyuOk  mr5Fio (baby exploring house for achieving arousal). mr5Fio mr5Fio

A Hierarchy of Motives  What is Hierarchy of Motives? -our needs for air and water hopefully satisfied other motives, such as your desire to achieve, are energizing and directing your behavior.  Abraham Maslow described these priorities as a hierarchy of needs.

Hierarchy of needs  Maslow's theory views motivation as a hierarchy of needs that must be satisfied in the following order: physiological, safety, love and belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization. Self-actualization is the motivation to develop one's full potential as a human being.  Maslow’s pyramid of human needs, beginning at the base with physiological needs that must first be satisfied before higher-level safety needs and then psychological needs become active.  Maslow propose that some people also reach a level of self-transcendence.  At the self-actualization level, people seek to realize their own potential.

Hierarchy of needs  At the self-transcendence level, people strive for meaning, purpose, and communion that is beyond the self, that is trans-personal.  In the poor nations that lack access to food, money, and shelter, financial satisfaction strongly predicts feelings of well being.  In wealthy nations that are able to reach their basic needs, home-life satisfaction is a better predictor.  Self-esteem matters most in individualist nations, whose citizens tend to focus on personal achievement than on family and community identity.

 Lets see what you know about the hierarchy of needs