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Psychology: Chapter 11, MotivationShelby Gilmer Psychology: Chapter 11, Motivation ●Motivation- a need or desire that energizes and directsbehavior. ●There are four perspectives of motivation: ○Instinct theory- (now replaced by evolutionary perspective)focuses on genetically predisposed behaviors ○Drive-reduction theory- focuses on how we respondto our inner pushes ○Arousal theory- focuses on finding the right levelof stimulation. ○Hierarchy of needs- focuses on the priority of someneeds over others ●Instinct- a complex behavior that is rigidly patternedthroughout a species and is unlearned ●Many behaviors are directed by both physiologicalneeds and psychological wants ●Physiological need- a basic bodily requirement ●Drive-reduction theory- the idea that a physiologicalneed creates an aroused state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need ●Homeostasis- a tendency to maintain a balanced orconstant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose,around a particular level ●Incentive- a positive or negative environmental stimulusthat motivates behavior ●When there is both a need and an incentive, we feelstrongly driven ●Some motivated behaviors actually increase ratherthan decrease arousal ●Yerkes- Dodson law- the principle that performanceincreases with arousal only up to a point, beyond which performance decreases ●Hierarchy of needs- Maslow’s pyramid of human needs,beginning at the base with physiological needs that must first be satisfied beforehigher-level safety needs and then psychological needs become active ●Marslow proposed that some people also reach a levelofself-transcendence ○At the self actualization level, people seek to realizetheir own potential ○At the self-transcendence level, people strive formeaning, purpose, and communion in a way that is transpersonal- beyond theself ●Order of Maslow;s hierarchy is not universally fixed ○Ex people have starved themselves to make a politicalstatement What is reinforcement theory?Reinforcement theory is a psychological principle suggesting that behaviors are shaped by their consequences, and that individual behaviors can be changed through reinforcement, punishment and extinction. Behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner was instrumental in developing modern ideas about reinforcement theory. According to Skinner, a person's internal needs and drives are not important areas of concern because their current behaviors follow the law of effect and are based on the consequences of former behaviors. This means that behaviors can be altered or manipulated over time. How can managers use reinforcement theory to motivate employees?The reinforcement theory of motivation aims to motivate staff through reinforcement, punishment and extinction. Reinforcement theory in the workplace can be positive or negative as long as it reinforces the desired employee experience and behavior. Managers using reinforcement theory to motivate staff should explain to employees which behaviors will result in positive feedback. Here are several behavioral concepts that are common in business management, human resources management, marketing, social media, website and user experience design, and end-user training. Positive reinforcementA key idea in the reinforcement theory of motivation is that positive reinforcement with rewards reinforces desired behaviors. For example, providing an employee with extra days off for good performance in their job. Negative reinforcementNegative reinforcement involves the removal of aversive stimuli to reinforce the target behavior. For example, a manager can stop assigning tedious tasks to an employee when the employee starts meeting deadlines. PunishmentPositive punishment involves the delivery of an aversive stimulus, such as criticism, to affect behavior. Meanwhile, negative punishment removes a pleasant stimulus -- flexible work hours, for example -- to do the same. ExtinctionLike punishment, the goal of extinction is to lower the occurrence of undesired behaviors. In this scenario, valued consequences can be withheld to reduce the probability of a specific learned behavior from continuing. The idea is to stop a learned behavior over time. For example, an organization might stop paying overtime to discourage employees from staying late and working too many extra hours. However, extinction can also reduce desired behavior by not offering positive reinforcement when the desired behavior occurs. For example, if a manager stops praising an employee for completing tasks quickly, the employee might stop this behavior. To avoid unwanted extinction, managers must continue to reward desired behaviors. Examples of how reinforcement theory principles can be used in the workplace.What is differential reinforcement theory?Like the reinforcement theory of motivation, differential reinforcement theory proposes that people are more likely to continue behaviors that are reinforced and discontinue behaviors that are not. What is a reinforcement schedule?A reinforcement schedule describes the timing of the behavioral consequences of a given behavior. There are two broad types of reinforcement schedules -- continuous reinforcement and intermittent reinforcement. Continuous reinforcementWhen behavior is reinforced every time it occurs, this is called continuous reinforcement. A continuous reinforcement schedule is the quickest way to establish new, desired behaviors or eliminate undesired behaviors. However, continued reinforcement isn't practical for a corporate environment, so employers tend to apply intermittent or scheduled reinforcement in corporate settings. Intermittent reinforcementIntermittent reinforcement involves the delivery of rewards on an occasional and unpredictable basis. This approach tends to promote the continued efforts of an employee for more extended periods without a payoff. Slot machine payouts are an example of intermittent reinforcement, as they provide adequate rewards over time to keep players motivated. Similarly, managers can use a lottery system to reward employees. When employees meet a specified performance level, they become eligible to enter a lottery. This approach could produce the desired higher level of performance from employees. Leading intermittent reinforcement theories include the following:
What is Gray's reinforcement sensitivity theory?Developed by renowned British psychologist Jeffrey Alan Gray, reinforcement sensitivity theory suggests that there will be individual differences in the way people respond to punishment and reinforcement stimuli due to unique sensitivities of the brain. Proponents of the theory believe that these differences underlie the personality dimensions of conditions like anxiety, extraversion and impulsivity. What is the reinforcement theory of learning?The reinforcement theory of learning is a popular iterative process in machine learning. In this case, smart algorithms try to maximize some value based on rewards received for making the right decision under uncertainty.
See also: Guide to building an effective employee experience strategy This was last updated in May 2022 Continue Reading About reinforcement theory
Which theoretical perspective of motivation focuses on finding the optimum levels of stimulation?The arousal theory of motivation suggests that people are driven to perform actions in order to maintain an optimum level of physiological arousal.
Which theory suggests that motivation is the result of genetic predisposition and instincts?Instinct theory came out of the growing evolutionary understanding of the origins of behaviors. It assumes that some complex behaviors are not learned and can be explained by a genetic predisposition to the behavior.
What is instinct theory?What Is Instinct Theory? According to the instinct theory of motivation, all organisms are born with innate biological tendencies that help them survive. This theory suggests that instincts drive all behaviors.
Which theory focuses on genetically predisposed behaviors?Instinct theory (evolutionary perspective) focuses on genetically predisposed behaviors for all members of a given species.
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