动机理论背后的6个关键思想

Instinct Theory of Motivation

根据本能理论，人们之所以有动机以某种方式行事，是因为他们在进化过程中是这样做的。动物界的一个例子就是季节性迁徙。这些动物并没有学会这样做，而是一种与生俱来的行为模式。Instincts motivationsome species to migrate at certain times each year.

William Jamescreated a list of human instincts that included such things asattachment, play, shame, anger, fear, shyness, modesty, and love. The main problem with this theory is that it did not really explain behavior, it just described it.

到了20世纪20年代，本能理论被推到一边，取而代之的是其他动机理论，但当代进化心理学家仍在研究遗传学和遗传对人类行为的影响。

激励理论

这个incentive theorysuggests that people are motivated to do things because of external rewards. For example, you might be motivated to go to work each day for the monetary reward of being paid. Behavioral learning concepts such as association andreinforcementplay an important role in this theory of motivation.

这一理论与行为主义的概念有一些相似之处操作性条件作用. 在操作性条件作用中，行为是通过与结果形成联系来学习的。强化强化行为，惩罚削弱行为。

虽然激励理论是相似的，它反而提出，人们有意识地追求某些过程的行动，以获得奖励。感知到的回报越大，人们追求这些增援的动机就越强烈。

动机驱动理论

According to the动机驱动理论人们有动机采取某些行动，以减少因需求得不到满足而引起的内部紧张。例如，你可能会主动喝一杯水，以减少内心的口渴。

This theory is useful in explaining behaviors that have a strong biological component, such as hunger or thirst. The problem with the drive theory of motivation is that these behaviors are not always motivated purely by physiological needs. For example, people often eat even when they are not really hungry.

动机唤醒理论

这个动机唤醒理论suggests that people take certain actions to either decrease or increase levels of arousal.

When arousal levels get too low, for example, a person might watch an exciting movie or go for a jog. When arousal levels get too high, on the other hand, a person would probably look for ways to relax such as meditating or reading a book.

根据这一理论，我们被激励去保持一个最佳的觉醒水平，尽管这个水平可以根据个人或情况而变化。

人本主义动机理论

Humanistic theories of motivation are based on the idea that people also have strong cognitive reasons to perform various actions. This is famously illustrated in Abraham Maslow's需求层次在不同层次上呈现出不同的动机。

首先，人们被激励去满足对食物和住所的基本生理需求，以及那些安全、爱和尊重的需求。一旦较低层次的需求得到满足，主要的激励因素就变成了自我实现的需求，或者实现个人潜能的愿望。

Expectancy Theory of Motivation

动机的期望理论表明，当我们思考未来时，我们对我们所认为的将要发生的事情有不同的期望。当我们预测很可能会有一个积极的结果时，我们相信我们能够使这一可能的未来成为现实。这使得人们更有动力去追求那些可能的结果。

该理论认为动机由三个要素组成：配价、工具性和期望。配价是指人们对潜在结果的重视程度。那些似乎不太可能产生个人利益的东西有一个低价，而那些提供即时个人回报的东西有一个更高的价。

Instrumentality refers to whether people believe that they have a role to play in the predicted outcome. If the event seems random or outside of the individual's control, people will feel less motivated to pursue that course of action. If the individual plays a major role in the success of the endeavor, however, people will feel more instrumental in the process.

期望是一个人有能力产生结果的信念。如果人们觉得自己缺乏达到预期效果的技能或知识，他们就会缺乏尝试的动力。另一方面，那些觉得自己有能力的人更有可能达到这个目标。