Motivation: An Overview of Different Psychological Paradigms

Paper Summary:

The following essay will demonstrate that no single theory can explain the complexity of human motivation, and that the most accurate explanation of human motivation lies somewhere in the middle where most motivational theories converge. The author looks at certain underlying assumptions that the different motivational theories hold. The author discusses different theories from three different schools of thought: humanistic, cognitive and learning. The author proposes that on its own, each theory has its strengths and weaknesses, and that one can only adequately understand motivation if one tries to combine all three schools of thought. The theories that are dealt with in this essay are: Maslow's Hierarchy of needs, Adam?s Equity Theory, and the O.B. Mod Model.

From the Paper:

"The first school of thought that will be dealt with will be what Franken calls the "Humanist" school. According to Franken, this approach was first proposed by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, and is based on the assumption that humans are innately good and possess a natural, biological tendency to grow and mature (Franken: 1988:p15). Franken goes on to say that the Humanist theorists believe that every Human being is unique. He then explains how the humanist term for the process of development of that uniqueness is "self-actualization" (Franken: 1988). This essay will now show how the above assumptions can be found in Maslow's theory of motivation, known as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow believed that within every human being there exists a hierarchy of five needs. The first need he termed physiological need, which includes basic needs, such as the satisfaction of hunger, thirst, control of one's temper, and any other bodily needs. The second need was termed safety needs, and includes a person's innate need for security and protection from physical and emotional harms (Robbins: 1996: p169). The third need, Maslow believed, was a social need, which can be explained as a person's innate need to give and receive affection, to feel belongingness, acceptance and friendship. The fourth need Maslow points out is known as esteem needs, and includes "internal esteem factors", such as self-respect, autonomy and achievement. It also includes "external esteem factors", such as status, recognition, and attention. The final need making up Malsow's Hierarchy of Needs is termed self-actualization, and includes the drive for one to reach one's full potential, strive for personal growth, and become self-fulfilled (Robbins: 1996: p169)."

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