Theories of Motivation
How Needs can Influence Your Goals
Motivation is the reason behind many specific human behaviors. Reasons for motivation could be basic needs, an object, goal, state of being or ideal and morality. Geen (1995) defines motivation as the “initiation, direction, intensity and persistence of human behavior.”
The need-based theories of motivation, in part, aim to explain the reason behind wants and needs. Most theories are based on the needs of the person and the idea that satisfying this need is important before the person can focus on other needs.
Need-Based Theories of Motivation
- Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - most widely accepted need-based theory.
- Herzberg's Two Factor Theory - need-based motivation theory explaining workplace behavior.
- Alderfer's ERC theory - another need-based theory.
Explanations of the Theories of Motivation
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs states that human beings have desires which affect their behavior, particularly unsatisfied needs. The needs come in the order of importance. The person moves to the next level of need if the lower level need is satisfied. The further in the need level the person moves, the more individuality and psychological health the person attains.
These needs starting for the lowest to the highest are: physiological, safety and security, social, self-esteem and self-actualization. Physiological needs include food or water. Safety pertains to security, freedom from violence and others. Social need is the sense of belongingness like family, friends and others. Self-esteem is the need for approval, recognition, status, etc. And lastly, self-actualization is the need for personal growth through education, religion, hobbies and others.
According to Maslow, it would be hard to attain the highest goal of self-actualization if the lower goals are not met. For instance, it would be foolish to prioritize how to become emotionally stable when you cannot even eat a decent meal. By taking care of the basic needs, one can proceed to take care of the higher needs.
Herzberg's Two Factor Theory is considered more powerful than Maslow's because it is easier to understand. The two factor theory postulates that certain factors in the workplace lead to job satisfaction. Others do not affect satisfaction, but if not present could lead to dissatisfaction.
These factors are motivators and hygiene factors. Motivators provide job satisfaction. This includes recognition, duties and challenge. Hygiene factors are so called because just like hygiene their presence will not make a person healthier but their absence causes decline. Examples of these include salary, fringe benefits, job security. Hygiene factors, therefore, can determine dissatisfaction and motivators determine satisfaction. Both scales are independent and one can score high on both factors.
Alderfer's ERC theory has a hierarchy of needs which is grouped into three - ERG or existence, relatedness and growth. Physiological and safety falls under existence. Love and self-esteem are under relatedness. And self-actualization includes self-esteem needs.
Need-based theories of motivation offer one a deeper insight into oneself. Knowing what needs you prioritize will shed light on the reason and purpose of some actions. It will also be easier to determine goals worth pursuing that will bring inner contentment.
Motivation Theories
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