Views of Motivation

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Views of Motivation

Motivation comes from individual that energizes them to do goal-directed activity. Humanistic theory state that people as organism have energy within themselves which help them through their live. Carl Rogers said basically people are intrinsic-motivated by their tendency of fulfillment, actualization, maintenance and achievement but then it is influenced by the environment. I do certainly agree since I have experienced time when I was highly motivated and when I was unmotivated at all. I am highly motivated when I am going to do activity that I am interested in such as learning about computer program. Mastering computer programming is my goal and it becomes my motivation to do activity that can help me to achieve my goals. Moreover the environment supports me to do that.  In contrast, I am rarely motivated when I am about to do activity that is because I have to do it. I emphasize here, when I do not know what for I am doing it then I will become unwilling to do that. In other word I have no goals in doing it. Not to mention if I am not able to adapt with the environment.

Motivation does energize people in fulfilling their needs and achieve their goals. There are two types of motivation, intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Sometimes I am highly intrinsic-motivated and low extrinsic-motivated or vice versa. Motivation could be changing over time.

Intrinsic motivation comes within individual because of curiosity, self –determination, the satisfaction of completing task or challenge and desire to attain goals. People who are highly intrinsic-motivated believe in their ability in controlling environment. This is influenced by the competence of motivation whether they can maintain it or not.

Extrinsic motivation comes from the outside of individual. This also encourages people to do goal-directed activity. Yet, they might do it because there are some consequences if they do or do not do it such as reward and punishment.

There are some theories about motivation. Humanistic and Cognitive perspective are more stressing on intrinsic motivation. Humanistic perspective stresses that motivation as individual attempt to fulfill their need and develop potentials as human being. Implementation of Humanistic perspective in the classroom is by treating students as human first and learners second. Whereas Cognitive and Social Cognitive perspective view that motivation as individual belief and expectation that make people put attempt in understanding how the world works. These two perspectives emphasize that motivation relates to individual feelings, thoughts, beliefs and behavior as efforts to meet their needs and goals.

Other theories of motivation are Behavioral and Sociocultural Perspective. These two perspectives focus on extrinsic motivation. Behavioral perspective states that external reward and punishment will determine the motivation of student. It also examines behavior as the result of experience from their environment. Yet, there is critic to this perspective as it uses reward to increase motivation, it decrease the intrinsic motivation of student to learn instead. Having the same view of Behavioral perspective about external factor that influence motivation, Sociocultural perspective focuses on the need of affiliation which not only creates but also maintain warm, close and personal relationship. It highlights individuals’ involvement in group to value and support learning.

I think intrinsic motivation is more powerful and long lasting than extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation such as reward and punishment will not be well-preserved because when the reward and the punishment are gone, so is the motivation.