1. According to Ormrod (2008). Motivation is an internal state that arouses us to action, pushes us in particular directions and keeps us engaged in certain activities
2. Motivation is typically defined as the forces that account for the arousal, selection, direction and continuation of behavior. Biehler/Snowman, Psychology applied to teaching 8th ed Houghton Mifflin 1997. Pg 399.
3. Motivation is a force that acts on or within a person that causes the person to behave in a particular way. Potter/Perry, Fundamentals of Nursing 7th ed. Mosby Elsevier 2009. Pg 366.
Motivational quotes ~
“ Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” ML KINGJR
“ One can never consent to creep when one feels the impulse to soar.” Helen Keller
“If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t your right. ” Mary Kay Ash- founder of Mary Kay cosmetics
“There’s a powerful driving force inside every human being that once unleashed can make any vision, dream or desire a reality.” Anthony Robbinson ~ motivational speaker and writer
In my opinion, Walt Disney said it best in this motivational statement:
“Somehow I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. The special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four’s. They are curiosity, confidence, courage and consistency and the greatest of all is confidence.”
What a motivational quote from the man that made magic happen!
. 
The Importance of Motivation ~
According to Ormord ( 2008, p.453) Motivation consistently reveals itself through its effects on people’s behaviors, and reflects the following principles
· Motivation influences the extent to which an individual is likely to engage in a certain activity.
· Motivation directs an individual toward certain goals and choices
· Motivation plays a critical role in achieving goals
· Motivation promotes initiation of certain activities and persistence in those activities
· Motivation affects the learning strategies and other cognitive processes and individual brings to bear on task.
When I think about the importance of motivation I realize that as humans we are motivated from birth. Motivation is individualized and affects the way we learn and how we apply our knowledge and skills. Therefore one can see how important motivation is and how even though it is personalized, ones motivation has effects on the society around them.
USEAGE AND APPLICATION ~
How we use motivation and how we apply it must be individualized if to be successful.
· Action ~ involves getting individuals actively involved in the learning process both mentally and physically.
· Choice ~ may be provided through choice of learning method, content or instructional materials. By offering a choice the individual is motivated by their personal interest.
· Social Interaction ~ a higher-level need according to Maslow. Social interaction can include small group discussions, peer tutoring, collaborative problem-solving and decision-making.
· Error tolerance ~ individuals must feel comfortable to make mistakes and have opportunities to learn from them.
· Measurement ~ a motivating factor for self measurement for skills and knowledge.
· Feedback ~ should be continuous, focusing on the positive and addressing the negative and how performance can be improved in the future.
· Challenges ~ can be motivating, especially if self set.
· Recognition ~ should occur for both major and minor achievements as we proceed to our goals.
Spritzer, D.R. (1996)
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES ~
EXTRINSIC AND INTRINSIC MOTIVATION Factors incorporate both advantages and disadvantages. Below both Extrinsic and Intrinsic motivation are described.
Ormrod states Extrinsic motivation exist when the source of motivation lies outside of the individual and the task being performed.
Advantages of Extrinsic motivation ~
· Extrinsic Motivation provides clear cut expectations for example: I have a project due on 4/20 if I complete it I will be awarded a grade for my efforts.
· Extrinsic motivation gives corrective feedback for example: A student turns in a term paper and the instructor corrects grammar errors and feedback on the quality of the paper.
· Extrinsic Motivation provides valuable rewards for example: I go to work every day so I will receive a paycheck.
· Extrinsic Motivation has reward available for successfully completing a task for example: A child gets a treasure out of the treasure box for good behavior.
· Quick results especially when used for a short period of time.
Disadvantages of Extrinsic motivation ~
· Rewards can become distracting from intrinsic motivation
· May only work on a short term basis because these types of motivators lose the effectiveness over a long period of time.
· Often is viewed as a reward bribe.
Ormrod states Intrinsic Motivation exist when the source of motivation lies within the individual and task.
Advantages of Intrinsic Motivation ~
· Individuals are more likely to pursue the task on their own initiative
· Individuals are more likely to pay attention and be involved in completing the task
· Individuals are more likely to achieve at higher levels
· Individuals are more willing to take on a more challenging task
· Individuals are more geared toward the understanding of material at hand.
· Individuals are more likely to continue the task even if failure is a risk.
· Evaluations of one’s progression toward their goals.
Disadvantages of Intrinsic Motivation ~
· Intrinsic motivation is personalized due to different things motivate individuals differently
· Intrinsic motivation develops over a long period which can be a harder when applying to short term goals.
Individuals can have both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators in one task. What type of motivation utilized will influence how the individual approaches the task and the final outcome.
THEORIES THAT INCORPORATE MOTIVATION ~
1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is probably the most recognized theory of all times. Maslow’s theory is a central feature of humanism, a movement in psychology that gained prominence in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Humanism roots began in counseling psychology and focused its attention on how individuals acquire emotions, attitudes, values, and intrapersonal skills ( Ormrod, 2008, p.458)
Maslow proposed people are motivated by five different set of needs:
1. Physiological needs- Basic needs to stay alive such as food, water, oxygen, exercise and sleep.
2. Safety needs-The need to feel safe and secure.
3. Love and belongingness needs- Individuals need to feel love and acceptance among family and peers.
4. Esteem Needs- The ability for one to develop self esteem by believing in ones self and need for esteem from others.
5. Need for self-actualization- individuals needs to set goals and achieve all that they are capable of being.
(Ormrod, 2008, p 458-459)
2. John Keller’s ARCS Model for Motivational Design consists of four categories of motivational concepts and strategies. The four categories are listed and explained below.
Attention which can be demonstrated in two ways:
Attention which can be demonstrated in two ways:
1. Perceptual arousal- this method uses surprises and uncertain events to gain interest.
2. Inquiry arousal- this method stimulates motivation by offering challenges to be solved.
· Relevance, which uses familiar examples and establishes relevance to the individual’s goals, turn increase an individual’s motivation.
· Confidence- helps individuals understand the likelihood for successful learning and their ability to control it.
· Satisfaction- The individual must feel rewarded and have self satisfaction in the completion of the goal. This category includes both Intrinsic and extrinsic components.
The below chart demonstrates how the categories of Keller’s ARCS Model are applied to motivate individuals.
The below chart demonstrates how the categories of Keller’s ARCS Model are applied to motivate individuals.
Table 1 ARCS Categories
Attention | Relevance | Confidence | Satisfaction |
A1 Perceptual arousal A2 Inquiry arousal A3 Variability | R1 Goal orientation R2 Motive matching R3 Familiarity | C1 Learning requirements C2 Success opportunities C3 Personal control | S1 Intrinsic reinforcement S2 Extrinsic rewards S3 Equity |
3. Clayton Alderfer’s ERG Theory: The ERG theory is an extension of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Alderfer suggested that needs could be classified into three categories. These three types of needs are existence, relatedness, and growth. Existence needs are similar to Maslow's physiological and safety need categories. Relatedness needs involve interpersonal relationships and are comparable to aspects of Maslow's belongingness and esteem needs. Growth needs are those related to the attainment of one's potential and are associated with Maslow's esteem and self-actualization needs.
The ERG theory differs from the hierarchy of needs in that it does not suggest that lower-level needs must be completely satisfied before upper-level needs become motivational. ERG theory also suggests that if an individual is continually unable to meet upper-level needs that the person will regress and lower-level needs become the major determinants of their motivation.
For more information on Alderfer’s ERG Theory visit this website:
There are countless Motivation Theories however different they may be, all agree that motivation is the processes that account for a person’s intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a personal goal.
References:
Biehler, R. and Snowman, J. (1997), Psychology applied to teaching. (8th ed). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Ormrod, J. (2008), Human learning. (5thed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall
Potter, A. and Perry, A. (2009), Fundamentals of nursing. (7th Ed). Mosby Elsevier
Spitzer, D.R. (1996), Motivation: The neglected factor in instructional design. Educational Technology, May-June. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
