Briefly describe instinct, drive-reduction, arousal, incentive, and cognitive approaches to motivation.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Students' answers may vary.

The answer should contain the following information:

Instinct approaches: According to these approaches, people and animals are born preprogrammed with sets of behaviors essential to their survival. Those instincts provide the energy that channels behavior in appropriate directions. This theory has largely been discredited. Explanations based on the approach of instincts do not go very far toward explaining why certain specific patterns of behavior have evolved in a given species, while other patterns have not evolved. In addition, much of the variety and complexity of human behavior is learned and thus cannot be seen as instinctual.

Drive-reduction approaches: These approaches to motivation suggest that a lack of some basic biological need produces a drive to satisfy that need. People usually try to satisfy a primary drive by reducing the need underlying it. Homeostasis, the body's tendency to maintain a steady internal state, underlies primary drives.

Arousal approaches: These approaches propose that people try to maintain a certain level of stimulation and activity. When the levels of stimulation and activity are too low or too high, people are motivated to increase or decrease them.

Incentive approaches: These approaches suggest that motivation stems from the desire to obtain valued external goals, or incentives. In this view, the desirable properties of external stimuli-whether grades, money, affection, food, or sex-account for a person's motivation.

Cognitive approaches: These approaches suggest that motivation is a product of people's thoughts, expectations, and goals. For instance, the degree to which people are motivated to study for a test is based on their expectation of how well studying will pay off in terms of a good grade. Cognitive theories of motivation draw a key distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation causes people to participate in an activity for their own enjoyment rather than for any actual or concrete reward that it will bring them. In contrast, extrinsic motivation causes people to do something for money, a grade, or some other actual, concrete reward.