A Look at Motivation
Aadish Gupta (2206436)
University Canada West
PSYC 104, Developmental, Personality, Social & Clinical Psychology.
Prof. Sofio Fotskhverashvili
28th July 2024
A Look at Motivation
In this assignment, I will delve into the nature of human motivation. By exploring
experiments in articles and starting with what motivation is—using all references from my
book—types of motivation, and how it can help achieve growth, and lastly, I will try to cover
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to uncover the underlying mechanisms that shape our actions
and choices.
Motivation is the internal force that drives individuals to initiate, sustain, and direct
their behaviour towards specific goals. It arises from the merger between nature which is
nothing but the bodily push and nurture the “pulls” from our personal experiences, thoughts,
and culture (Myers & Dewall, 2021, Chapters 11, Basic Motivational Concepts). Motivation
is usually for the better, but that is not always the case. If our motivations get diverted, our
lives may become unsuccessful. Those with substance use disorder, who are suffering from
these problems due to addiction to drugs, are always motivated to get another dose (Myers &
Dewall, 2021, Chapters 11).
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation refers to doing an activity for its own sake, motivated by internal
factors such as personal growth, interest, or enjoyment. Individuals find it fulfilling without
caring about external rewards or recognition. On the other hand, extrinsic motivators involve
engaging in activities to achieve an external reward or avoid a bad outcome. This type of
motivation is influenced by external factors such as money and grades. Examples include a
student studying hard to earn a scholarship (Myers & Dewall, 2021, Chapters 11).
I Used the article in which they discuss the Achievement goals on exercise
motivation, they emphasized intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on organizational
commitment. The study was conducted by Chinese Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC)
candidates from four universities in China. The study explores how these motivations, along
within the organizational support, impact their career identity and commitment among
military candidates (Xiaofei al.,2023). In the study, they found that how much people enjoy
their work—an aspect of intrinsic motivation—affects their career path and overall job
satisfaction. However, whether this happens or not depends on how much support they get
from their company, which is also known as organizational support, and how much they are
rewarded for their work through extrinsic motivation. In other words, the connection between
job enjoyment and career success is influenced by both company support and external
rewards (Xiaofei al.,2023). They conducted the study using different methods like
preliminary tests, formal tests, sampling, surveys, and response rates. The reason for
conducting this research was to find out how organizational support affects the relationship
between motivation (both intrinsic and extrinsic) and career pathways, which in turn affects
organizational commitment.
Maslow, on the other hand, also talked about the Hierarchy of Needs, which also leads
to motivation. He suggests that human needs are arranged in a pyramid. Basic needs, like
food, water, and safety, must be met before people can focus on higher-level needs such as
belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Once lower-level needs are satisfied, people are
motivated to achieve the next level. Here again, motivation is very important, as moving
forward requires it to be essential (Myers & Dewall, 2021, Chapters 11, A Hierarchy of
Needs).
Exploring the aspects of human motivation has significantly broadened my
understanding of the factors influencing behavior. I have learned a lot about how to be more
professional. The connection between intrinsic desires, such as self-realization and mastery,
and extrinsic motivators, like rewards and recognition, is far more complex than initially
perceived. This study, through articles and books, has equipped me to approach challenges
with a more nuanced perspective on motivation and has given me the ability to recognize the
potential impact of both internal and external forces on goal achievement. By comprehending
the hierarchical nature of human needs and the dynamics of these elements, I can be better at
decision-making and behavior.
References
Myers, D. G., & Dewall, C. N. (2021a). Psychology (13th Edition). Worth Publishers.
http://books.google.ie/books?
id=ezZ9zQEACAAJ&dq=psychology+13th+edition+David+G.
+Myers+Hope+College+Holland,+Michigan&hl=&cd=3&source=gbs_api
Xiaofei Lin, Nasnoor Juzaily bin Mohd Nasiruddin, & Soh Kim Geok. (2023). Exploring the
Influence of Achievement Goals on Exercise Motivation: A Systematic Review. Journal of
Sport Psychology / Revista de Psicología Del Deporte, 32(3), 265–280.
Zhou, J., Zhang, J., Hua, W., & Zhao, M. (2024). How Does Enlistment Motivation Shape
Organizational Commitment? The Role of Career Identity and Organizational Support.
Psychological Reports, 127(1), 299–334. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941221109097
