Meaning and Nature of Motivation
A mother finds difficult to make her son sit at his lesson. She tries and applies many methods but can not persuade her son to study. She is surprised one day seeing him busy with his lesson immediately after his return from school. She asks him to get up and take his food. The child replies that he would first do his homework, saying that his teacher gave him “good” at his classwork and that he would get another ‘good tomorrow.
He gladly shows his homework to his mother. This converts the boy from a poor worker to an active student. The teacher’s praise gives the boy pleasure. the feeling of success and satisfaction. What makes the boy behave in this manner? The answer to such a question on the why and how of behavior lies in the keyword ‘motivation’. He behaves as he is motivated to do so.
Inspiration in this way might be viewed as something, which prompts, urges, energies and actuates a person to act or act in a specific way at a specific time for accomplishing some particular objective or reason.
Definitions
Motivation is supposed to have its origination from the Greek word “Movere’ which means to drive forward. So motivation is an aroused state of the organism to act in a specific manner and direction.
In the expressions of H.W.Bernard inspiration alludes to those marvels which are engaged with the reenactment of activity towards specific destinations, where already there was next to zero development towards those objectives.
DO Hebb defines that motivation is an existence of an organized phase of sequence, its direction, and contents, its persistence in a given direction.
Young defines motivation in these words, ‘the concept of motivation is exceedingly broad-so broad, in fact, that psychologists have attempted 1o harrow it singling out one aspect or another of the complex process of determination The two most important aspects are the energetic aspect and–regulation and direction—we may- defines the study of motivation.
Maslow’s plan shows the following hierarchy of needs.
1. The gratification of bodily needs.
2. Safety against pains, anger, jeopardy of bodily integrity, overwhelming threats.
3. Love-affection warmth, acceptance, and place in the group.
4. Self-esteem-self-respect, self-confidence, feeling of strength and adequacy.
5. Self-actualization-self fulfillment self-expression, potentialities, working out fundamental personality, use of capacities to fulfillment.
Types of Motivation
Motivation is a complex phenomenon that may arise within the individual or outside the individual. Many factors affect it like psychological system emotions, habits, mental sets values and attitudes.
Motivation can be of two types
1– Intrinsic Internal or Natural
2– Extrinsic, External or Artificial
Internal Motivation
Internal motivation refer to interest for certain activities to meet the desired need develops from within the individual automatically. Generally, internal motivation is born with the rise of biological needs. A teacher with the help of certain measures can ensure internal motivation in the pupils.
a. Specifying the aims and objectives
When objectives of a certain activity are made clear to the pupil interest to learn will develop in the knowledge of objectives, aims, benefits and uses arises the desire for progress in the study among the students.
b. Curiosity
Each child wants to know what lies hidden in the box. If curiosity is involved in teaching activity, internal motivation can be ensured the teacher may encourage the students to explore and search for new knowledge through the discovery method.
c. Ego Involvement
In the word of Sheriff and Cartrill “Ego involvement is a condition of total participation of the self as knower, organizer, observer, status seeker and socialized being. The ego is involved where the individual is challenged.
Ego plays an important role in learning. The teacher can involve the ego of the students in certain leaming activates challenge for the first position may push the students to burn the midnight oil.
d. Knowledge of Result
If the students are made aware of their progress from time to time, they will certainly be motivated to learn more, compete and break their previous records. Success and outstanding marks in tests inspire the students internally to improve and maintain performance.
e. Aspiration Level
Aspiration level often determines the rate of involvement in studies. Students having aspiration level work hard. The students who want to become doctor, engineer technologist or bank officers study till late at night whereas pupils having no ambition in life show poor performance in the class. The teacher can effectively utilize the student’s capacities by setting high aspiration levels.
f. Rivalry
The rivalry is not considered a good value in society Hence it can be used for motivating purposes. Rivalry among individual students between groups and between male and female pupils gives birth to healthy competition. They may be motivated to take an active part in certain school activities and show their performance.
External Motivation
External motivation refers to forces in the environment that arouse the individual to act toward the desired goal These are some measures by which external motivation can be ensured.
a. Praise and Blame
There are powerful incentives; praise induces the students to work hard. It even creates an interest in overage and inferior children to study. The teacher remarks like well done, ‘good conduct’ and very good go a long way in motivating the pupils. Similarly, blame has a positive effect on superior children.
b. Reward and Punishment
Rewards like money, medals, badges, prizes exemptions, shields, and cups give pleasure when coming with success and achievement. Reward may symbolic or material. Care should be taken that rewards do not become an end themselves otherwise unfair means would be used to get rewards. Punishment is a negative incentive but by using it skillfully a teacher may get positive results fear of punishment and humiliation among class fellows urges the students to work till late at night and complete their homework. But sometimes the result of punishment is dangerous.
c. Attractive School Environment
The attractive and educative environment of the school motivates the students to stay and take part in school activities with zeal and vigor.
d- Nice Friends
If the student has a company of nice friends, he will certainly take an interest in the study and other school activities in their association.
e- Curriculum
If the curricular activities teaching methods, teacher’s behavior and other facilities provided in the school, suit the students, they will naturally be motivated for learning. That is why the curriculum is said to be in accordance with leamers’ age, experience mental capacities and maturity level.
f. Instructional Technology
Instructional technology used in the class for teaching a certain lesson may urge the students to comprehend and leam effectively Movies TV maps, projectors, pictures, etc attract the students on the path of knowledge.
g. Recognition and Ignorance.
These incentives are verbal or non-material type. When the students are recognized by means of marks, grades promotions for their performance in studies. They are motivated to learn more Similarly ignoring the students due to their inferior performance may warm them to avoid malpractices and mend their learning habits.
Both both types of motivations are fruitful in arousing the students, but it should be noted that internal motivation is superior to external motivation. Proper motivation maximizes the student’s involvement and achievement in learning.
Function of Motivation
a- Motivation Energizes
Motivation Energizes an individual and forces him for action. If the vocational goal of a student is to be a doctor. This goal energizes him so much that he goes on studying till late at night and does not care for bedtime in order to secure the highest marks in the examination and to qualify the MBBS entry test. So motivation not only pushes a person for a particular task but also sustains interest and behavior for a longer period in the activity. According to Hebb, Efficiency and adequacy are increased in a motivated state of behavior.
b- Motivation direct and regulate the behavior
Motivation state is often described as guided, directed and goal-oriented.The behavior of the individual is purposeful and persistent. The student in order to fulfill his need comes to action. He will remain in action will need is met. Motivational behavior activates in the specific direction and the individual performs different activities to achieve the preset goal.
c- Behaviour is Selective
Motivated behavior of the organism does not more in a haphazard way. It is directed towards a selective goal, which an individual sets for himself. A student motivated to secure high marks in examination concentrates his studies by selecting means to reach his selected goal the motive is terminated by the achievement of the goal.
More questions
- What is the core concept of motivation, and how does it influence behavior and performance?
- Can you elaborate on the different types of motivation and their impact on individual and group dynamics?
- How do the functions of motivation contribute to personal growth and organizational success?
- What role does motivation play in fostering a positive and productive work or learning environment?