Types of motivation: internal, definition, external, classification of motives in psychology, concept, forms, levels

Each person comes into this world with his own purpose. This is what he should strive for. Only in this case does a person’s life gain meaning.

All dreams are meaningless, all plans will be covered with cobwebs, goals will not be achieved if they are not secured with actions. Is it possible to get to the right place with just a map, but without moving? Can the strictest and fairest law stop a criminal who has only heard of it? Is knowledge alone enough to become successful? Only action can lead to a person’s goal, only action will prevent crime, and it also affects our whole life. And what motivates a person to act is called “motivation”.

What is motivation: description

There is no clear definition of motivation. It is a set of external and internal motives that encourage an individual to act in one way or another.

The basis of motivation is the desire to carry out any action. It reflects the needs, interests and aspirations of a person, so motivation is always individual.

The main component of motivation is the presence of a motive. This is the standard (imaginary or real) that an individual strives to achieve.

Definition

What is motivation? To have at least the slightest idea about such a concept as motivation, let’s look at its definition. In Latin, "muvere" (to move) defines the word "motive", which is a derivative of the word "motivation".

Thus, we can give several options for the concept of this word:

encouragement to action;
a psychophysiological process that controls human behavior, setting its direction, organization, activity and stability.
a set of motivating factors that determine human activity.

Experts disagree on what motivation is. Some believe that it is a set of processes, while for others, a set of motives determines motivation. The motive is a material object, the desire for which determines the meaning of actions. For people, this is expressed in anxiety or worries, which in the future can cause both positive (in case of achieving the object) and negative (in case of dissatisfaction with the situation) emotions.

An example would be a desire caused by hunger. A person strives to get food in order to satisfy his desire. Positive emotions are caused by the fact that the goal is close, and negative emotions - if such an opportunity is not foreseen in the near future, in this case dissatisfaction appears.

How motivation works: moving towards a goal

The main motivators that push a person to action are the desire to achieve something and the fear of losing something. The first includes all activities aimed at various achievements (purchase, search, victory), and the second includes the desire to avoid losses (time, finances, opportunities).

All others are derivatives of these 2 factors. A person commits all his actions because of one of these incentives.

For one person, going to the gym with a lot of people is a positive aspect, because there is an opportunity for communication, but for another, it is a negative aspect, because a large crowd of people makes him feel uncomfortable.

The theory of principles of goal setting by E. Locke

The main idea of the theory was that the quality and characteristics of a person’s life directly depend on the goals that he sets for himself, therefore goals should be drawn up taking into account the factors missing for happiness according to the following principles:

A specific task (the person must clearly understand what exactly needs to be done and how);
The goal should not be easily achievable or require no effort and time.
It is easier for a person to strive for results if the goal is set by him and is his own desire.
Feedback is necessary (without an outside perspective it is more difficult to assess your potential and results).
Willingness to use all resources to achieve results.

Types of motivation in psychology

In psychology, there are the following types (types) of motivation:

internal and external;
positive and negative;
stable and unstable.

These are the main types of motivational formations.

There is also active (diversive) and passive motivation. The first includes internal stimulation, the second - external.

External and internal motivation

They are also called extrinsic and intrinsic. External (extreme) is based on the influence of external factors: conditions and circumstances that do not relate to individual types of activity. Often the motivation for doing something is the positive example of another person. This is called a functional motive.

Internal (intrinsic) motivation has internal reasons emanating from life values: goals, needs, desires, etc.

Each of them has its own characteristics:

External motivation is aimed at quantity, and internal motivation is aimed at the quality of work performed.
When the external task is achieved, it ceases to motivate, and the internal one becomes even more active.
Intense motivation is a stronger incentive than extrinsic motivation.
As you gain self-confidence, intrinsic motivation increases.

Positive and negative

The main forms of incentives can be divided into negative and positive. Positive ones push to action when a person is in anticipation of benefit. This encourages you to perform your duties more efficiently and meet deadlines. Such motivation plays an important role in achieving high results and increases work efficiency. Motivation in a work team can be not only material reward, but also psychological methods of influence.

There are the following principles that confirm the effectiveness of positive stimulation:

increasing the importance of the individual, leading to improved quality of work;
increased motivation to take further actions after receiving benefits or moral encouragement;
confidence in your actions and rapid achievement of success.

Negative motivation involves various punishments for failure to complete a task or poorly done work. According to research, long-term negative motivation leads to loss of interest in the duties performed, cultivates a feeling of fear, reluctance to act, reduces self-esteem and contributes to the development of complexes.

Accordingly, positive motivation stimulates action, and negative motivation strengthens discipline during the performance of an activity. The latter is not capable of revealing internal potential; its main task is to keep the individual within the established framework.

Negative motivation loses its power if it is not used in combination with positive one.

Stable and unstable

Sustainable motivation includes the daily needs of people:

hunger;
thirsty;
dream;
sex;
communication;
acquiring new knowledge.

A person consciously carries out activities without putting much effort into it.

Unsustainable motivation is weaker. It must be constantly supported by external factors.

Additional classification of motivation

The classification of motives is quite broad. According to psychological and sociological research, there are additional motivational types (incentives) - the basis of motivation:

Self-affirmation is the desire for recognition in one’s environment. It ensures personal development and awakens self-esteem.
Identification is the desire to be like one’s idol, the desire to match his set of qualities.
Power is the need to influence the activities of others, the desire to dominate and exercise control over people.
Procedural-substantive – the need for active activity, receiving pleasure directly from the process.
Self-development is a person’s desire to develop and improve. It is associated with self-affirmation.
Achievements – the desire to achieve better results, to become a leader in your field.
A prosocial motive is a sense of duty to society, the manifestation in the process of achieving a goal of such qualities as responsibility, self-confidence, tolerance, etc.
Affiliation - association: the desire to make contact, find new connections, maintain friendly relations with other people.

Each type is divided into several levels, which depend on individual conditions:

the significance of achieving the goal;
confidence in its achievement;
individual perception of the result of their activities.

At different times, people's values, motives and capabilities differ significantly.

The struggle of motives

As already mentioned, a person is simultaneously driven by many different motives. And not all of them are equivalent and equally directed. Here's a classic example. A person sets an alarm clock at night, intending to get up early the next morning - for example, to go for a morning run. But the morning comes, the alarm clock rings, and this person no longer wants to get up. He finds himself in a situation where he needs to make a specific decision, and it depends on what motives prevail in him at the moment. Here we come across what is called willpower.

This example is not particularly critical, but there are situations in life when a person has to make very difficult choices. Any of the options for action is motivated in a certain way, and this brings discomfort and even real torment. So, in some cases we are faced with a choice - to save ourselves from trouble or to save our loved ones at the cost of our own lives. Such internal conflicts can lead to the development of depression or neurosis.

What should you do if you need to make such a choice? Experts advise not to give in to emotions and carefully consider all options if possible. There must be a rational approach here; you need to weigh all the pros and cons, the benefits and deprivations that the choice you make will bring. And above all, one should be guided by socially significant motives. After all, it often happens that we achieve our goal by “walking over our heads,” as a result of which friends, close people, and relatives turn away from us, as a result, we lose more than we gain.

A person is not aware of all his motives, but control of his motivational sphere is available to us. It is necessary to create a hierarchy of needs and motivations for yourself and focus on the most significant and important of them. Such a hierarchy will be associated primarily with social values.

The “pyramid of needs” compiled by the American psychologist Abraham Maslow is widely known. This system distributes needs into “lower” ones, which make humans related to other animals, and “higher” ones, which are unique to humans. It is curious that the lower needs are associated with the individual survival of the organism, while the higher ones pursue social goals. The highest needs are the need to understand one’s connection with the entire universe, and not just with one’s small group or human society in general.

Having certain needs, a person acquires the motivations associated with them. And they motivate him to do certain things. It happens that an activity seems “higher”, but in reality a person is guided by “lower” motives. So, a musician can create fashionable but primitive music just to feed himself (and generally make money). It happens that “for bread” people create real masterpieces. In other cases, setting “lower” goals is only an intermediate step, while in reality the person is motivated by higher considerations. Thus, the father of the family can take care of his health in order to have the strength to provide for his wife and children.

Content theories of motivation

Sociology and management often use substantive theories of motivation. Such concepts are based on the study of human needs, since they are considered fundamental factors in the formation of motivation.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory

This theory states that the satisfaction of all needs has a clear sequence: first, the needs of the lower level are satisfied, and then the higher ones.

Schematically they are depicted in the form of a pyramid consisting of 5 levels:

Physiological needs (food, water, air, sleep, etc.).
Security (stability, security).
Social needs (communication, love, friendship).
Prestige (career, authority).
Spiritual needs (knowledge, skills, art, self-development and personal growth).

Alderfer's ERG theory

Based on Alderfer's theory, people have 3 main needs:

Existential (physical needs, safety).
Establishing contacts (communication, belonging to a group).
Self-realization (career growth, creativity).

According to this theory, movement from 1 level to the next can occur both from bottom to top and from top to bottom.

McClelland's theory of acquired needs

In this theory, needs are reduced only to high levels:

The need for belonging.
The desire for power.
Self-realization.

Herzberg's two factor theory

Herzberg's theory provides for the presence of 2 factors that influence employee motivation:

Hygienic (retention) - conditions and nature of work, wages, relationships with colleagues and management.
Motivational (stimulating) - recognition, self-realization, climbing the career ladder.

Practical advice

Motivation is needed by those who want to force a person to fulfill demands and obey. Therefore, they manage children, subordinates, consumers - buyers of goods and services. Even the desire to have a slim body is an imposed motive. To avoid needing motivation, you need:

determine the type of activity you like;
identify the goal that can be achieved in this activity;
to have, as a result of achieving the goal, satisfaction of the financial and internal goals - gratitude, self-esteem, recognition of mastery.

That's when there will be no need for motivation. The purpose of the activity motivates itself.

Process theories of motivation

They are designed to analyze how efforts are distributed to achieve a goal, and what style of behavior is chosen. An important factor is the conditions for satisfying needs: good pay and high evaluation of work.

Vroom's expectancy theory

According to the theory of expectations, to stimulate a person to activity, one need is not enough. You need to be confident that they will lead to the desired result.

Conditions influencing motivation:

Waiting for the desired result.
Reward for results.
Reward value.

Motivation increases in direct proportion to the increase in each of these factors.

In the absence of even 1 of them, motivation will disappear.

Adams' theory of equality of justice

The theory of justice states that a person independently evaluates the relationship between the efforts made and the reward received, and compares his work with similar ones. Making such a comparison can lead to feelings of injustice.

There are 6 reactions to injustice:

reduction of effort;
desire to increase remuneration;
decreased self-esteem;
an attempt to influence the workload and salary level of other employees;
finding another comparison object;
desire to change position or place of work.

Porter Lawler model

This theory is based on the fact that people’s motivation is influenced by many factors, including:

effort expended;
final result;
remuneration;
perception of reward;
degree of satisfaction.

According to this theory, putting in more effort leads to employee satisfaction with the final result.

E. Locke's theory of goal setting

Locke's assumption is that goal setting is a cognitive process that has practical benefits. According to the theory, personal conscious intentions and goals determine human behavior. This behavior continues until this goal is achieved. Intention is a fundamental factor in goal setting. The author of the theory uses the term conscious goals and intentions to show that high goals lead to higher levels of performance.

The concept of participatory management

This concept proclaims the need to involve employees in the management of the company to stimulate them. There are 3 levels of participation:

Development of proposals.
Creating an alternative.
Decision-making.

This concept can only be implemented in companies with hardworking and creative staff.

Reactive and proactive motivation

These are also two opposite types of motivation. The first is everything a person does to correct mistakes and improve the situation. If a project is overdue, the culprit starts working twice as hard to solve the problem and not be left without work. And proactive motivation is associated with plans for the future: I will work all week until late in order to submit the report on time and not let the whole team down.

There are several types of motivation, but they are all based on the internal desire of each of us to get something or, conversely, to avoid trouble. Therefore, they say correctly: everything is in our hands. And if a person really wants something, he will have enough willpower and desire to get it.

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Theories based on a specific picture of a person

There are 2 concepts based on a specific picture of a person: “Theory X and Y” by McGregor and “Theory Z” by Ouchi. They describe the types of work motivation.

McGregor's XY theory

These are 2 theories in which the author compares the employee’s incentives and the behavior of the company’s management from 2 sides.

Theory X states that:

people are naturally lazy and use every opportunity to procrastinate;
a person seeks to escape responsibility, so he becomes an employee;
he adheres to principles such as stability and security;
sheds ambition as ballast;
complete control, pressure and the threat of punishment push a person to work with greater efficiency.

According to Theory Y:

work is an integral part of human life;
good working conditions contribute to the development of responsibility and control over one’s actions;
creative and intellectual potential is not fully used;
Having achieved the goal, the person receives encouragement.

These are 2 diametrically opposed theories that have the right to life.

Ouchi's Z Theory

In addition to the previous 2 theories, American professor William Ouchi developed Theory Z. It is based on collective principles of motivation, according to which the incentives of employees should be influenced by the company’s values:

coincidence of the goals of the employee and the enterprise;
proper organization of work;
dedication to the team and common goals;
solidarity;
confidence.

Positive aspects of this theory:

The vector of attention is aimed at motivating all employees.
The presence of managers in the company, their positive communication with subordinates.
Organization of on-the-job training.
Providing growth opportunities.

Disadvantages of the theory:

Excessive requirements for applicants.
Compliance with established principles, patriarchy.
Slow promotion.

Signs of a motivated personality

People who are charged with action can be easily recognized. They:

optimistic (a motivated person is confident in advance of a good result);
active (show enthusiasm, which helps not to stop in the process of achieving the goal);
persistent (follow the rule that any obstacles that arise can be overcome);
concentrated (try not to be distracted by small things);
self-confident (they feel like a whole person with their shortcomings, but at the same time they not only know how to use their strengths of character, but also work on their weaknesses).

Methods of motivation in practice

There are many ways to motivate, and they all differ from one another.

Staff motivation

Social motivation is a system of moral, material and professional incentives for an employee.

It aims to increase employee activity and productivity. The measures used for this may depend on various conditions:

incentive systems at the enterprise;
features of enterprise management;
areas of its activity;
number of personnel;
management style, etc.

Motivation methods are divided into 3 groups:

economic (material);
organizational and administrative (following regulations);
socio-psychological (following social interests).

The most effective is the carrot and stick method, which is practiced by many enterprises.

Student motivation

It is also important for students and schoolchildren, as it contributes to good learning. It allows you to set long-term goals, choose a behavioral strategy, and achieve high results.

Motivation in children and adolescents rarely arises spontaneously. In this regard, psychologists and educators have developed various techniques to induce motivation. They provide an opportunity to develop safely, learn and experience new things. These techniques include:

attracting attention (interesting experiences and facts, comparisons, life stories);
experiencing emotions when presenting materials due to their scale and value;
making comparisons between scientific research and life experience;
creating an atmosphere of scientific discussion, educational discussion;
joyful experience of achievements;
giving information the effect of novelty;
equating educational materials to the category of achievements, their updating;
application of positive and negative motivation;
formation of social motives (the desire to acquire an authoritative opinion, to contribute to development).

Stages of motivation

Motivation is an extensive process that takes place in several stages.

At the beginning of the journey, a person has a need that he wants to satisfy.
At the next stage, ways to do this are identified.
Next, a specific goal is set - what exactly needs to be achieved in the final.
The last stage is the longest - these will actually be specific actions, work in the chosen direction.

If the result is successful, the person achieves the desired reward and remains satisfied. If there is a failure, this may negatively affect future plans. It is clear that next time it will be much more difficult to motivate a person who has already failed.

Practical psychologists help organize a comfortable environment for productivity growth and choose a specific method of motivation, because you need to take into account the individual characteristics of the individual, the accompanying factors of her life and other important points.

Our distance learning course in practical psychology will help you learn how to provide psychological services. You will not only master all the techniques for diagnosing and correcting psychological conditions, but also gain the right to apply them in practice to help people solve their problems and achieve their goals.

Self-motivation

Self-motivation is the use of individual motivational methods based on personal beliefs:

desires and aspirations;
focus and consistency;
determination to act and consistency.

The main indicator of correct self-motivation is the situation when, in the presence of great interference from the outside, a person does not give up and continues to move towards his goal.

The individual performs conscious actions aimed at achieving the desired result.

To motivate yourself, you can use methods such as:

affirmations - a selection of positive statements that influence the individual’s subconscious and lead to a positive effect;
self-hypnosis is an influence that has a person’s independent influence on his own psyche, the purpose of which is to create a new behavioral model;
biographies of successful people are an effective way of stimulation based on studying the life stories of great personalities;
formation of strong-willed skills - performing actions aimed at overcoming one’s own laziness, fears and reluctance to act;
Visualization is an effective method that is based on the mental representation and emotional experience of achieved goals.

Self-hypnosis

Self-hypnosis can be effective only if a person has the ability to do so: he can influence his subconscious and psyche, causing the desired reaction and achieving a positive effect.

Biographies of successful people

Using this method is suitable for both children and adults. A person sees the full picture: there was a desire, then action followed, and then the result.

Visualization

Visualization is a powerful method of achieving goals, because thoughts tend to materialize. An important condition for its use is the presence of active actions to achieve goals.

Main characteristics

Motivation consists of two parts:

a person’s internal psychological attitude towards action or inaction;
the ability to effectively correlate opportunities and abilities to achieve a goal.

It comes to a person in the form of specific experiences that are associated with positive emotions from achieving an object or realizing an idea. But the motive is realized only when it coincides with the ideals and cultural values of a person and society at a given moment in time.

The motif has several characteristics:

gives energy for activity;
directs actions to achieve goals;
causes selectivity of attention;
prepares for typical reaction scenarios.

The motive also necessarily includes the activity itself to achieve the goal. Motivation is not only how much a person wants to achieve a goal, but how much effort he is willing to put into it.

What determines the level of motivation?

Regardless of the incentive that helps a person move forward, the level of motivation is not constant and unchanging.

Depending on the actions performed, accompanying circumstances and other factors, its level can either increase or decrease.

Factors that determine motivation levels:

the significance of the achieved result;
faith in its achievement;
personal forecasts regarding the implementation of the plan;
own understanding and idea of success.

Individual motivation is always stronger, because it is aimed at achieving clear goals and obtaining measurable results.

Options for personal internal motivation

Internal personal motivation is the most effective, but also the most difficult option, which is suitable for strong personalities.

And here we are not talking about instinctive motivation at the level: danger - run, hunger - eat. No, now we are talking about actions that encourage us to rise to the top of Maslow’s pyramid, that is, move forward towards success, happiness, and health.

So, what can create strong internal motivation:

Fear. Actually, fear was and is the most powerful motivator. This is the fear of poverty, hunger, failure. Fear of looking worse, poorer, fatter than someone around you.

The fear of disease forces us to exercise and watch our diet. Fear of failure to plan wisely and pursue goals. But for fear to become a powerful motivator, it must be very strong. So I don’t wish this on anyone.

Desires, dreams. This motivator is somewhat similar to the previous one, but it has a positive component. Our desires, formed in childhood, adolescence or adulthood, perfectly stimulate us to move forward and look for ways to achieve our goals. The dream is to live in your own home. Working by the ocean. Travel in comfort non-stop. All this is real and achievable.

The only internal motivators can be the need for personal growth, the need to be needed, the desire to implement creative plans, and self-affirmation. There are plenty of options. Everything that comes from within is internal motivation.

But, alas, she is very rarely strong.

Therefore, we are looking for other ways. External or mixed methods of influence.

How to motivate yourself to succeed?

There are several ways to increase your own motivation:

Monitor your dopamine levels. To do this, balance your diet - your diet should include vegetables and fruits, and quality fish. It is also important to follow a daily routine and get proper rest;
Use staff motivation techniques: reward yourself for achievements. For example, do something nice if you have completed your own plan. Did you study English every day? Great, treat yourself to some delicious food!
Determine your leading motive. Think about what is your main motive? Maybe recognition is important to you? Or are you seeking power? Do you dream of “wiping the nose” of someone? Use this to achieve success. Remember, there are no good and bad motivations, there are those that work and those that don’t!

Using these simple tips, you will forget about laziness and discover a source of energy within yourself. Want to learn even more techniques to improve your personal effectiveness? Read the “Coaching” section.