1. 1
Sources of Motivation
Jody Marvin
PSY 355
June 4, 2012
Dr. Rockel Etienne

2. 2
Sources of Motivation
A central theme in psychology is the study of motivation. Factors that direct and energize
behavior of humans include biological, cognitive (psychological), and social aspects
(environmental). As an illustration, comparing motivation as a journey explains that motives are
physiological and psychological needs, whereas the external objects are incentives and goals
(Deckers, 2010). In addition, motivation is a driving force that alerts the mind to change, pushes
and creates the pursuit toward change, and pulls the individual toward the end-stage result
(Deckers, 2010). Consequently, you not only need to think you can, you need the capability and
knowledge to 'move into action' causing changes in behavior. According to Deckers (2010), “The
meaning of motivation is to be moved into cognition, feeling, and action," (p. 2).
Depending on what people want to achieve and how strongly people want to attain the final
achievement, motivation refers to the driving force behind behavior that leads to pursing the
achievement and cause others avoidance (Deckers, 2010). Incentive approaches are theories of
motivation in which behavior is a response to external stimulus and its rewarding properties
(Hardy & Carlo, 2005).
Direction and arousal toward goal-oriented behavior are factors within a human or animal.
Charles Darwin attributed the extent of animal and human behavior to instinct (biologically
determined innate), patterns of behavior. For example, when our safety if threatened we are
programmed to „fight or flight‟ and when we are hungry we are motivated to get food. Darwin
emphasizes the innate programmed genetic behaviors responsible for primal energy sources
(Huitt, 2012). Concurrently, a need (food) is a requirement for survival, whereas gourmet food is
a want. Both are very different, however; both can be motivating depending on intrinsic or
extrinsic motivation.

3. 3
Emotions are a universal functional reaction to external stimulus causing the shaping of
responses to a current situation. The push to fulfill the need is a psychological tension and
physical arousal that motivates the action to reduce the tension. The drive‟s strength is dependent
on the strength of the need. In addition, homeostasis is the physiological tendency of the body to
maintain this steady state of „comfortable tension.‟
Subsequently, moved to motivate requires energy that powers the muscles and strengthens the
neural connections within the brain known as cathexis (Deckers, 2010). Known as adaption
energy (Hans Selye, 1976), cathesix is a pleasurable motivator for behavior (as cited Deckers,
2010, p. 54). The amount of adaptive energy is relative to the amount of mental energy produced
when processing information from the environment. The physical component, glucose, feeds the
brain, which possibly creates new brain cells while enhancing the existing. As an illustration, “In
the case of older rats, when their supply of glucose runs low, their memory for the maze becomes
impaired (McNay et al., 2000; McNay & Gold, 2002; McNay et al., 2006)” (as cited in Deckers,
2010, p. 74).
The goal or situation determines what the animal or human does. Motivation and behavior
do not happen spontaneously. Theories of motivation in which behavior is explained as a
response to the external stimulus and rewarding properties, uses incentives as a way to get you to
do something (Decker, 2010). Action and behavior do not happen at the same time. In theory, we
must be induced by internal motives or environmental influences to 'move into action'. Motives
are internal dispositions that push us to the end whereas environmental influences are the
incentives and goals that pull the individual to the end-state (Deckers, 2010). The goal of the
motive is the incentive. Incentives are things that attract or lure people into actions, and are great
motivators.

4. 4
Self-determination is the theory of human motivation that allows the effect of the social
context or environment to influence the motivation (Hardy & Carlo, 2005). Three inborn and
universal needs necessary for an individual to gain a complete essence of self include autonomy
(need for control of one‟s behavior), competence (master the challenging tasks in life), and
relatedness (sense of belonging, intimacy, and security) (Huitt, 2012). In contrast, cognitive
knowledge includes the knowledge and competence necessary for an individual to fulfill the
desired behavior. Depending on a person‟s biological attributes and psychological dispositions
determines the outcome of the individuals motivating factors (Deckers, 2010). For example, a
psychological variable may include a need for belongingness, friendly social interactions, and
relationships with others. The mind versus the brain is explained if the mind determines how
much a person wants to study as compared to the brain‟s ability to function with the necessary
need for clarity to optimal learning (Deckers, 2010).
Based on operant conditioning, motivation focuses on drive reduction, depriving basic need
causes tension, and appropriate actions reduce tension. Drive-reduction involves meeting a
current need like hungry - find food or thirsty-find water. In contrast, behavior may be stimulated
by activities that drive tension rather than reduce it (Hardy & Carlo, 2006). Concurrently, goalsetting theory defines specific goals, gets continuing feedback about the progress toward the
goals, believes the goal is possible, and sets a high enough goal to remain motivated. A high
commitment to the goal is mandatory. Intrinsic motivation suggests when we do something for
the sheer enjoyment; we receive from doing it the reward in the process (Huitt, 2012).
Today‟s theory of human motivation draws on biological, psychological, and social processes
that focus on various issues. The intrinsic unpredictability of the world that people experience,
the innate differences in the attributes of individuals, and the aesthetic pleasure obtained from

5. 5
one‟s environment creates an understanding of why the theoretical issues exist to understanding
human motivation.

6. 6
References
Deckers, L. (2010). Motivation: Biological, psychological, and environmental (3rd ed.). Boston,
MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Hardy, S. A., & Carlo, G. (2005). Identity as a source of moral motivation. Human Development,
48(4), 232-256. http://search.proquest.com/docview/224020782?accountid=35812
Huitt, H. (2012). Motivation to learn: An overview - Educational Psychology Interactive.
Retrieved from http:/www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/motivationmotivate.html/