Maslow, Herzberg, and McClelland’s research concluded that every person is intrinsically motivated. How people are motivated can be conditioned on external circumstances or opportunities to self-actualize. Maslow’s hierarchy builds from a baseline of needs. Maslow’s pyramid to understand motivation compares to Herzberg’s continuum of dissatisfaction to satisfaction. He uses fourteen points as criteria to determine how individuals are satisfied with their work. Like Maslow’s base model for the physical needs of shelter or the next level for safety, these base levels are met by financial means. Herzberg concluded, “money is a hygiene factor and does not motivate” (Bassett-Jones & Lloyd, 2005, p. 932–933). Extrinsic rewards meet a baseline expectation that work earns a wage meeting basic needs but is not the leading motivator for workplace satisfaction. Instead, workers are motivated, thus satisfied by achievement, recognition, productivity, the opportunity to take responsibility, and the opportunity for advancement (ibid).
McClelland’s model supports self-actualization and advancement at a higher leveler of motivation. He distinguishes between three motivations: achievement, power, and affiliation (Dinibutun, 2012, p. 135). His conclusion agrees with Maslow and Herzberg for intrinsic motivation at a higher level beyond base deficiency or hygiene needs. McClelland’s three motives give all expressions of self-actualization.
Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation provides the internal horsepower for getting stuff done or abandoning work altogether. Yet, understanding motivation which raises questions regarding what challenges motivations. New Year’s resolutions are primarily well-intended and highly motivated, starting with little to follow thru. One of the primary and significant challenges today in motivation is confidence. The feeling of confidence (or lack) has been labeled self-efficacy by Bandura and is still relevant today in most modern theories of work motivation. Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s capacity to perform a specific task or reach a specific goal (Bandura, 1965). Bandura’s theory promotes the belief that competence influences choice, performance, and persistence. The four sources contribute to an individual belief: accomplishments, vicarious learning or modeling, emotional stimulation (anxiety), and social persuasion and encouragement (Anderson & Betz, 2001). Throughout this course, I look forward to learning about motivations, but also the undermining challenges today of lack of confidence that prevent people from achieving their goals and potential.
References
Anderson, S. L., & Betz, N. E. (2001). Sources of social self-efficacy expectations: Their measurement and relation to career development. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 58(1), 98-117. https://10.1006/jvbe.2000.1753
Bandura, A. (1965). Influence of models' reinforcement contingencies on the acquisition of imitative responses. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1(6), 589-595. https://10.1037/h0022070
Bassett-Jones, N., & Lloyd, G. C. (2005). Does Herzberg's motivation theory have staying power? The Journal of Management Development, 24(10), 929–943.
Dinibutun, S. (2012). Work motivation: Theoretical framework. Journal on GSTF Business Review, 1(4), 133–139
Neher, A. (1991). Maslow's theory of motivation: A critique. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 31(3), 89–122.