The Four Perspectives That Shape Human Motivation

Motivation is defined as a psychological process that gives behaviour purpose and direction. It is the force that motivates people to act and seek particular goals or objectives. The main reason motivation is important is because it helps people achieve their goals, both personal and professional. Additionally, it might have a significant role in determining how much effort and resistance people put into particular tasks and activities. Positive behaviours like studying for tests, working out frequently, and aiming to fulfil deadlines or accomplish other objectives are more likely to be engaged in by motivated individuals.

Read More: Psychology Behind Motivation

Types of Motivation 

• Intrinsic motivation 
• Extrinsic motivation 
• Achievement motivation 
• Social motivation 
• Self-determination motivation 
• Ego defence Motivation 
• Approach Motivation 
• Avoidance Motivation 

Motivation drives the person’s behaviour and performance in their different settings. When they are motivated they will be more energetic. Motivation is all connected to choices, Efforts, persistence and level of achievement.

Read More: Theories of Motivation

Perspectives of Motivation 

Several perspectives and theories exist about motivation and how it’s related to one life. Some of those to consider a closure look at the perspectives relating to motivation : 

• Traits perspective 
• Behavioural perspective 
• Social cognition perspective 
• Cognitive perspective 

1. Trait Perspective

According to trait theories of motivation, motivation is driven by specific personality qualities that explain persistent patterns of motivated behaviour in a variety of contexts. These theories concentrate on innate, dispositional variables within individuals.

It is thought that dispositional variables of motivation account for why some people exhibit particular motivated behaviour patterns in different contexts while others do not. Therefore, motivation is ascribed to stable characteristics that are founded in the individual personality and that differentiate persons across situations and, to some extent, across time, in addition to particular situational inputs.

In psychological research, numerous labels have been applied to individual dispositions to exhibit specific motivational patterns in different contexts. These labels reflect varying ideas about which and how many such dispositions exist, how they evolve, and how they affect motivation. As a result, theories of motivation vary in how much weight they give to environmental and dispositional factors. Systems theory approaches highlight the intricate relationships between external stimuli and internal dispositions, whereas the five-factor model concentrates on endogenous inclinations and presumes that the environment has a minimal impact.

Examples of Characteristics: 

The following are some characteristics that may be related to motivation:

• Need for Achievement: An intense drive to be successful and perform well. 
• Conscientiousness: A propensity for responsibility, organisation, and goal-setting. 
• Extraversion: A predilection for gregarious conduct and social engagement.

Read More: Positive self-talk from approach motivation boosts resilience

2. Behaviour Perspective 

Learnt and unlearned drives as well as incentives are the focus of the behavioural approach to motivation. A characteristic of behaviour The term “motivation” describes the consistent, individual variations in preferences and inclinations linked to goal-directed effort and approach/avoidance behaviours that impact people’s motivation and behaviour in a variety of contexts.

Drive Hypothesis

Drive reduction, learnt (secondary) drives, and unlearned (primary) drives are all concepts in drive theory. It is predicated on the idea that all living things have physiological requirements that must be met in order for them to survive (such as the need for food, drink, sleep, and so on) and to preserve homeostasis, or a stable internal condition. An unlearned, or primary, drive is a condition of tension (arousal) brought on by a disturbance of an organism’s homeostatic state.

A hunger drive occurs when hunger is the cause of the aroused condition, and food can lessen the desire. The goal of drive reduction is to restore balance. Therefore, drives can be viewed as the result of a physiological demand that an organism is compelled to lessen or eradicate. Learning theorist Clark Hull created an equation to illustrate the connection between desire and learning. For example, Students study hard because they receive praise for good grades which is denoted as positive reinforcement. 

Read More: 14 Effective Ways to Boost Self-Motivation and Achieve Your Goals

3. Social Perspective 

According to a social cognitive approach, motivation is an internal process that is impacted by a variety of elements that are mutually related to behavioural, environmental, and self-regulatory processes, including self-efficacy, social comparisons, goals, outcome expectations, values, and attributions.

A theory of human behaviour known as social cognitive theory places a strong emphasis on social environment-based learning. Bandura’s social cognitive theory assumes reciprocal connections between behavioural, social/environmental, and personal elements, People try to gain a sense of agency in their lives by using a variety of vicarious, symbolic, and self-regulatory procedures.

Goals and self-assessments of progress, result expectancies, values, social comparisons, and self-efficacy are important motivational processes. Individuals create objectives and track their progress. Perceived progress keeps motivation and self-efficacy high. People strive for the results they want and behave in a way that is consistent with their values. Social comparisons with other people reveal more about their learning and achievement of their objectives.

Self-efficacy has a significant impact on motivation and influences task selection, effort, perseverance, and success. Children are highly egocentric in their early developmental phases. They struggle to consider other people’s perspectives and only see the world through their own narrow lens. Children are better at taking other viewpoints and are better able to consider how and why people behave in certain ways in social settings as they become older.

Read More: Neuroscience of Motivation: How Orexin Neurons Drive Voluntary Exercise and Resist Temptation

4. Cognitive Perspective 

A person’s behaviour is influenced by their active processing and interpretation of information, not just by their internal or external inputs, according to the cognitive perspective on motivation. According to this viewpoint, motivation and goal-directed behaviour are influenced by internal factors such as beliefs, expectancies, and self-efficacy. Three elements influence our likelihood of succeeding in reaching a goal, according to the Goal Setting explanation, a cognitive explanation of motivation. 

 In particular, these are 

• The amount of time allotted to achieving an objective 
• The goal’s level of complexity or difficulty 
• The goal’s specificity

We find a goal most enticing when it is neither too easy nor too difficult to achieve. As opposed to too-easy objectives, which never satisfy, too-hard goals can demoralise us and make us want to work less to achieve them. The Value Theory states that our expectation of success multiplied by the value we place on success determines our motivation and likelihood of achieving our goals. In addition to societal and cultural elements like gender-role norms and family values, expectations vary from person to person and are impacted by past experiences and evaluations of those experiences.

Read More: 6 Tips to Gain Motivation: Be Motivated Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

FAQ’S

1. What is Motivation? 

It is defined as a psychological process that gives behaviour purpose and direction. It is the force that motivates people to act and seek particular goals or objectives.

2. What are the types of perspectives in motivation? 

• Trait perspectives 
• Cognitive perspective 
• Social perspectives 
• Behavioural perspectives 

3. Explain the behavioural perspectives

A characteristic of behaviour The term “motivation” describes the consistent, individual variations in preferences and inclinations linked to goal-directed effort and approach/avoidance behaviours that impact people’s motivation and behaviour in a variety of contexts.