Types of motivation: the 8 sources of motivation
We explain the different theories that address the types of motivation.
Motivation can be defined as the process that initiates, guides and maintains behaviors aimed at achieving a goal or satisfying a need..
It is the force that makes us act and allows us to move forward even in difficult situations. Going to get a glass of water when you are thirsty, studying all night to pass that driving test you want so badly, or training hard to be the best in a championship, are all possible because of it.
However, just as the challenges and projects we set ourselves are varied, so are the types of motivation from which we draw our strength to achieve our goals. That is precisely what I am going to talk about in this article: the types of motivation.
- A theory that analyzes human needs: "Maslow's Pyramid".
Psychology's interest in motivation
Many psychologists have been interested in the study of motivation, since it is a basic principle in the behavior of human beings. is a basic principle in the behavior of human beings: no one moves without motivation, without a reason for it.No one moves without motivation, without a reason for it. Being motivated means carrying out daily tasks without a heavy burden and keeps us alive. But not only that, motivation is related to other psychological variables, such as stress level, self-esteem, concentration, etc., and, as many studies have indicated, it has an effect on the health and well-being of all of us.
For this reason, there are many theories that speak of human motivation, among them the aforementioned Maslow's Pyramid, McClelland's McClelland's three factors or Herzberg's Herzberg's dual factor theory.. When studying motivation, different approaches have been developed that are applicable to different fields: work, sport, learning, etc. This has led several authors to classify motivation under different names.
Types of motivation
The degree of motivation of each individual is not directly proportional to the value of that which provokes it, but rather it is the importance given to it by the the importance given to it by the person who receives it, which determines the strength or level of motivation. or level of motivation.
We will now explain the different types of motivation, as well as the different sources of motivation that drive us to perform certain acts.
Extrinsic motivation vs. intrinsic motivation
This way of classifying the types of motivation is one of the most commonly used, and is based on the location of the motivator: is it contextual or self-administered incentives?
Extrinsic motivation
The extrinsic motivation refers to the fact that the motivational stimuli come from outside the individual and from outside the activity. Therefore, Motivating factors are external rewards such as money or recognition by others.. Extrinsic motivation is not based on the satisfaction of performing the chain of actions that make up what we are doing, but on a reward that is only indirectly related to it, as if it were a by-product.
For example: an individual may work hard to earn more money or may study very hard for the social recognition that a good job provides once he has finished his studies. A person with extrinsic motivation for a task to be delivered will work hard on it despite having little interest, because the anticipation of the external reinforcer will motivate him to finish it on time.
2. Intrinsic motivation
The intrinsic motivation refers to the motivation that comes from within the individual rather than from any external reward. It is associated with the desire for self-fulfillment and personal growth, and is related to the pleasure that a person feels when performing an activity, which allows a person to be in a "State of Flow" when performing it.
For example: an individual who attends the training sessions of his soccer team simply for the pleasure of practicing his favorite sport.
Intrinsic motivation is the type of motivation most linked to good productivity. good productivityIntrinsic motivation is the type of motivation most linked to good productivity, since where it occurs, the individual does not limit himself to fulfilling the minimum necessary to obtain the reward, but becomes personally involved in what he does and decides to put a large part of his efforts into it.
Positive motivation vs. negative motivation
This distinction is based on the emotional charge associated with motivation.
Positive motivation
The positive motivation refers to the process by which an individual initiates or maintains adherence to a behavior by obtaining a positive reward, whether external or internal (for the pleasure of the activity).
4. Negative motivation
The negative motivation refers to the process by which a person initiates or maintains adherence to a behavior in order to avoid an unpleasant consequence, whether external (punishment, humiliation, etc.) or internal (avoidance of the feeling of frustration or failure).
Other ways of classifying the varieties of motivation
The literature specializing in sport psychology has also provided information on other types of motivation related to the world of physical activity and sport.
Basic motivation vs. everyday motivation
This classification of types of motivation is established by looking mainly at the frequency and intensity of that which leads to action.
5. Basic motivation
The basic motivation refers to the stable basis of motivation that determines the level of an athlete's commitment to his or her activity. It refers to an athlete's interest in sport results, personal performance and/or the positive consequences of both.
6. Daily motivation
The daily motivation refers to an athlete's interest in the daily activity and the immediate gratification it produces.
Ego-centered motivational orientation vs. task-centered motivational orientation
In relation to the how motivation interacts more or less with self-esteem and self-concept, we can distinguish between these two concepts.we can distinguish between these two concepts. Both orientations are orthogonal and not opposed. Thus, there may be athletes with both high orientations, both low orientations, with a high ego-centered but low task orientation, and with a high task orientation but a low ego-centered orientation.
7. Ego-centered motivational orientation.
This type of motivation refers to the fact that athletes' motivation depends on challenges and results in comparison to other athletes. athletes.
8. Task-centered motivational orientation
Motivation depends on personal challenges and results, and subjective impressions of mastery and progress. In other words, what motivates is to surpass oneself, to improve personal bests.
Let's move on to practice: how to motivate oneself?
We invite you to learn about a series of strategies and keys to keep your motivation at high levels..
- You can consult the article: "The 10 keys to motivate yourself".
Bibliographic references:
- Benjamin Lowry, Paul; Gaskin, James; Twyman, Nathan W.; Hammer, Bryan; Roberts, Tom L. (2013). Taking 'fun and games' seriously: Proposing the hedonic-motivation system adoption model (HMSAM). Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 14(11): pp. 617 - 671.
- Berridge, Kent C; Kringelbach, Morten L (2013). Neuroscience of affect: brain mechanisms of pleasure and displeasure". Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 23(3): pp. 294 - 303.
- Marinak, Barbara A.; Gambrell, Linda B. (2008). Intrinsic Motivation and Rewards: What Sustains Young Children's Engagement with Text?. Literacy Research and Instruction. 47: pp. 9 - 26.
- O'Neill, Jr., H.F.; Drillings, M. (1994). Motivation: Theory and Research. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
- Uysal, Muzaffer (1994). Testing the push and pull factors. Annals of Tourism Research, 21(4): pp. 844 - 846.
(Updated at Apr 13 / 2024)