Scientific Method - Minnesota State University Moorhead



Motivation

Motivation expresses the “whys” of behavior not the “hows”.

Why do some people with the same level of ability seem to work harder and more productively? Motivation

Definition : Motivation is the force that moves people to behave, think and feel the way they do.

From the Latin “movere” or to move

3 Key Dimensions of Motivated Behavior

Level of Energy or Arousal – What energizes or arouses behavior

Direction of Behavior – What directs or channels the behavior? Which behaviors does a person choose to perform?

Level of Persistence – How is the behavior sustained or maintained?

When faced with obstacles, and roadblocks, how hard does a person keep trying to perform a chosen behavior successfully?

Motivation Theories - Most theories of motivation fall in one of 3 broad classifications

Biological or Needs theories

Instinct or Evolutionary theory

Drive Reduction theory

Need Hierarchy theory

Cognitive theories

Equity theory

Goal setting

Social or learning theories

Operant Conditioning

Evolutionary or Instinct Theories - Emphasizes the role of instincts and genes

Instincts are innate biological patterns of behavior that appear to be universal throughout a species

Evolutionary theory has recently been applied to explain the motivation for sex, aggression, helping behavior and other behaviors based on “passing on our genes”

Drive-Reduction Theory - Due to problem with the instinct theory it was replaced by the drive-reduction theory.

A physiological need creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need (Hull, 1951).

The physiological aim of drive reduction is homeostasis, the maintenance of a steady internal state (e.g., maintenance of steady body temperature).

Evaluating Drive Reduction Theory

Defined motivation using specific observable behaviors

Useful for explaining many biological functions or needs (e.g., water, food, oxygen, sleep, body temperature)

Limited in explaining higher order motivations such as exploration and curiosity

We are also pulled by incentives

Optimum Arousal Theory

Human motivation aims to seek optimum levels of arousal, not to eliminate it.

Yerkes-Dodson Law (1908)

Need Hierarchy Theory

Abraham Maslow (1970): proposed that we have a hierarchy of needs.

Once one need is fulfilled we can move on to the next.

Certain needs have priority over others.

Physiological needs like breathing, thirst, and hunger come before psychological needs such as achievement, self-esteem, and the need for recognition

Evaluation

• Popular in business and makes good intuitive sense

• Theory still provides useful guidelines

• Weak empirical support

• Satisfied needs become MORE, not less, important to workers (Hall & Nougaim, 1968)

• If one need becomes more important, others also become more important

• Main problems: rigidity of progression and cross cultural problem with the needs

Goal-Setting Theory - Locke (1968)

The basic idea is the people’s behavior are motivated by their internal intentions, objectives or goals.

A goal is what a person consciously wants to attain or achieve

The goal represents what we intend to do at a given time in the future

Goal Mechanism (Locke & Latham, 2002)

• Goals serve a directive function

The direct attentions and effort toward the goal-relevant activities and away from goal irrelevant activities

• Goals have an energizing function

High goals lead to greater effort than low goals

There is evidence of physiological indicators of effort

• Goals affect persistence

When people are allowed to control the time they spend on a task, hard goals prolong effort

• Goals affect action indirectly

By leading to the arousal, discovery, and/or use of task relevant knowledge and strategies

What type of goals leads to the best level of performance?

Establish SMART goals for yourself

S Specific

M Measurable

A Attainable

R Relevant

T Time-oriented

Specific Goals -Goals are only meaningful when they’re specific enough to be verified and measured

Many studies have compared the performance of people with specific vs. general goals (ex. “Do your best”)

Measurable Goals - Properly set goals are measurable

Difficult by Attainable Goals - Goals should be set so as to require the employee to stretch to reach them

Easy goals are not as motivating as difficult but attainable goals

They should not be impossible goals

Relevant Goals - Goals need to be relevant and controllable to the job

Time-bound- Goals should be time specific

Open-ended goals are likely to be neglected because there is no sense of time urgency

Empirical support

Strong!!

Performance under goal-setting conditions is almost always superior to “no goal setting” conditions

Applicability

Extremely applicable

Can set specific, challenging goals for every conceivable behavior or job and person

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