Concepts

Motivation

The processes that give behavior direction and help sustain pursuit.

Definition

Motivation concerns the processes and reasons through which behavior is initiated, directed toward goals, and maintained.

How to understand it

People can pursue similar actions for different reasons, and one action can serve several goals. Biological needs, enjoyment, incentives, and beliefs about capability offer different explanatory angles. Motivation is therefore a broad area of inquiry rather than a single substance that a person either possesses or lacks.

For analysis, distinguish the goal, the reason for pursuing it, and the conditions that make action possible. These questions invite different evidence. In particular, observing whether someone begins a task cannot by itself show how strongly they value it or explain every obstacle that stands between intention and completion.

Evidence: (Spielman et al., 2020); (Ryan and Deci (2000), Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions, n.d.)

Two volunteers, one event

Teaching scenario

At an imagined community event, two volunteers stay late to arrange chairs. One enjoys organizing shared activities. The other wants experience for an application and also cares about the event succeeding. A third volunteer leaves early because the last bus is departing, despite wanting to help. These observations support questions about several motives and practical constraints. They do not rank the volunteers by moral worth or prove that the person who stayed longest had the strongest motivation. Changing transport arrangements could alter behavior without changing anyone’s values.

Constructed for learning. This scenario is not a report of an empirical finding or a diagnosis.

Common confusion: Self-efficacy

Motivation concerns reasons and goal pursuit; self-efficacy concerns belief in being able to perform the required actions.

Evidence: (Spielman et al., 2020); (Ryan and Deci (2000), Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions, n.d.)

Limits of the concept

  • Behavior alone does not reveal a unique underlying motive.
  • Limited opportunity can prevent action even when motivation is strong.

Evidence: (Spielman et al., 2020); (Ryan and Deci (2000), Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions, n.d.)

Textbook connection

Direct coveragePsychology 2e: 10.1 Motivation

The subsection explicitly discusses this concept.

Supplementary concepts may extend beyond this section. The source notes below identify the evidence for those details.

Related concepts

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Sources and inspection notes

Checked October 21, 2026. An inspection date is not a source publication date. Definitions and scenarios on this page are original teaching explanations.

  1. Ryan and deci (2000), intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions. (n.d.). https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/2000_RyanDeci_IntExtDefs.pdfPrimary-author theoretical review

    Opening definitions and discussion of autonomous extrinsic motivation inspected. DOI: 10.1006/ceps.1999.1020. Inspected on 21 October 2026.

  2. Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/10-1-motivationCourse textbook subsection

    Title, URL, and relevant subsection text inspected on 21 October 2026. Used for concept checking and course navigation; no textbook exercises or illustrations reproduced.