Motivational theories

One of the many principles of human behaviour is motivation. Motivation could be described as the level of arousal or activation in order to complete a task. Motivation is a behaviour which varies in different situations in order to achieve a goal(Brown et al,1984).

There are two different types of motivation intrinsic and extrinsic, intrinsic motivation is driven primarily by a love of a particular sport and a need to achieve physical excellence though the particular sport,

 whereas extrinsic is driven by tangible rewards such as monetary rewards or spot bonuses which are given for a positive performance sometimes this causes the athlete to under-perform as the love for the sport deteriorate. As with any other traits the human body possess there are many theories behind motivation: this creates coaching points in order to perfect an athlete’s level of arousal in order to support peak performance and well-being. Motivation is responsible for weather or not a task is carried out effectively or at all Dowda et al,(2000).

Throughout time Motivational theories have been developed to explain human behaviour, these seem to be common sense when read supporting why there are still a range of different applicable theories today,this could be because there are multiple situations an athlete encounters through sport. However, by looking at the key ideas behind each theory, you can gain a better understanding of motivation as a whole. As a coach looking through this resource it should be easy to position which characteristics your chosen athlete is exhibiting, its essential that traits are identified correctly so that potential corrective measures can be implemented in order to better performance. 

Instinct Theory of Motivation

According to instinct theories, people are motivated to behave in certain ways because they are evolutionarily programmed to do so. For example retaliation in humans if hit were programmed to hit back in defence, especially for men as testosterone plays a part with channelled aggression. 

Incentive Theory of Motivation

The incentive theory suggests that people are motivated to do things because of external rewards. For example, you would be motivated to go to work for financial gain or do overtime for the monetary reward of being paid bonuses. Behavioural learning concepts such as association and reinforcement play an important role in this theory of motivation, which is developed through role models and important others from a young age throughout life Bandura,(1985) supports this with observational learning theory.

Drive Theory of Motivation

(Hull, 1943;Spence, 1956) According to the drive theory of motivation, people are motivated to take certain actions in order to reduce the internal tension that is caused by unmet needs. For example, you might be motivated to have a drink to reduce the internal state of thirst. This theory is useful in explaining behaviour that have a strong biological component, such as hunger or thirst.

The problem with the drive theory of motivation is that these behaviours are not always motivated purely by physiological needs. For example, people often eat even when they are not really hungry and can do so purely out of boredom, or even for comfort. The graph shows a direct correlation between the level of arousal and performance however this is not necessarily correct as an increase in arousal doesn't always lead to an increase in performance.

Arousal Theory of Motivation

The arousal theory of motivation suggests that people take certain actions to either decrease or increase levels of arousal. When arousal levels get too low, for example, a person might watch a scary film or go for a jog, anything that gets the pulse raised for enjoyment. When arousal levels get too high, on the other hand, a person would probably look for ways to relax such as meditating,reading a book or having a nice hot bath.

According to this theory, we are motivated to maintain an optimal level of arousal, although this level can vary based on the individual or the situation, but as can be seen from the above picture a medial amount of arousal aids peak performance.

Humanistic Theory of Motivation

Humanistic theories of motivation are based on the idea that people also have strong cognitive reasons to perform various actions. This is famously illustrated in Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs (Maslow,1954), which presents different motivations at different levels. First, people are motivated to fulfil basic biological needs for food and shelter, as well as those of safety, love and esteem. Once the lower level needs have been met, the primary motivator becomes the need for self-actualization, or the desire to fulfil one's individual potential.

The key with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is that in order to achieve the next level of motivation its key the below level criteria must be satisfied otherwise the above benefits are unable to be realised, as the below level takes priority.

A spa day could be a good example of incentive rewards as it offers reward based on performance then the relaxation of the reward will help maintain motivation levels and prepare the athlete for the future training and competitions as associations with these rewards flourishes.
 Basic instinct theory applied to the above picture would be when the individual steps on the hot coals to pull the lead foot backwards and exhibit signs of pain be it through facial expression or body language.