Types of Motives: Biological, Social, Personal Motives Psychology and Frustration & Conflict
The goal here may be fulfillment of a want or a need. Whenever a need arises the organism is driven
to fulfil that want or need. If there is no need in the organism, there will be no behaviour. For
example, Horse and water. Horse does not drink water unless it has thirst or if it is not motivated.
Unlike the external stimuli, the motives are limited.
The behaviour to fulfil such needs is mechanical and alike in all the organisms. Hunger is a motive
which stimulates the organism to have food. We develop hunger when the food that was taken
earlier is exhausted.
The need for food drives us to go in search of food and to have it. Here the hunger motive not only
initiated the action, but also continued until the goal (having food) is reached. The motives are
powerful forces.
They do not allow us to stop our action or behaviour until the need is satisfied. Hence, they are
called the ‘dynamos’ of behaviour
Biological Motivation and Homeostasis:
Biological motives are called as physiological motives. These motives are essential for the survival of
the organism. Such motives are triggered when there is imbalancement in the body. The body
always tends to maintain a state of equilibrium called “Homeostasis”- in many of its internal
physiological [Link] balance is very essential for the normal life. Homeostasis helps to
maintain internal physiological processes at optimal levels. The nutritional level, fluid level,
temperature level, etc., are maintained at certain optimal level or homeostasis levels. When there is
some variation in these levels the individual is motivated for restoring the state of equilibrium.
I. Physiological Motives:
a) Hunger motive:
We eat to live. The food we take is digested and nutritional substances are
absorbed. The biochemical processes get their energy from the food in order to
sustain life. When these substances are exhausted, some imbalancement exists.
We develop hunger motive in order to maintain homeostasis. This is indicated by
contraction of stomach muscles causing some pain or discomfort called hunger
pangs. Psychologists have demonstrated this phenomenon by experiments.
b) Thirst motive:
In our daily life regularly we take fluids in the form of water and other beverages.
These fluids are essential for our body tissues for normal functioning. When the
water level in the body decreases we develop motive to drink water.
Usually thirst motive is indicated by dryness of mouth. Experiments by psychologists
have shown that just dried mouth getting wetted is not enough. We need to drink
sufficient quantity of water to satiate our thirst.
c) Need for oxygen:
Our body needs oxygen continuously. We get it through continuous respiration.
Oxygen is necessary for the purification of blood. We cannot survive without regular
supply of oxygen. Lack of oxygen supply may lead to serious consequences like
damage to brain or death.
d) Motive for regulation of body temperature:
Maintenance of normal body temperature (98.6°F or 37.0°C) is necessary. Rise or fall
in the body temperature causes many problems. There are some automatic
mechanisms to regulate body temperature, like sweating when the temperature
rises above normal or, shivering when it falls below normal.
These changes motivate us to take necessary steps. For example, opening of
windows, put on fans, take cool drinks, remove clothes, etc., when the temperature
increases to above normal level; and closing doors and windows, wear sweaters,
take hot beverages when temperature falls down. In this way we try to regulate the
body temperature.
e) Need for sleep:
Sleep is an essential process for normal functioning of body and mind. When our
body and mind are tired they need rest for rejuvenation of energy. It is observed
that there is excess accumulation of a toxin called ‘Lactic acid’ when tired.
After sleep it disappears and the person becomes active. Sleep deprivation also
leads to psychological problems like confusion, inability to concentrate, droopy
eyelids, muscle tremors, etc.
f) Need for avoidance of pain:
No organism can continue to bear pain. Whenever we experience pain we try to
avoid it. We are motivated to escape from painful stimulus. For example, when we
are under hot sun we go to shade. When something is pinching we avoid it.
g) Drive for elimination of waste:
Our body cannot bear anything excess or anything waste. Excess water is sent out in
the form of urine or sweat. So also digested food particles after absorption of
nutritional substances are sent out in the form of stools. We experience discomfort
until these wastes are eliminated.
h) Sex motive:
This is a biological motive, arises in the organism as a result of secretion of sex
hormones-like androgens and estrogens. Sex need is not essential for the survival of
the individual, but it is essential for the survival of the species. However, fulfillment
of the sex need is not like satisfying hunger or thirst.
The society and the law exercise certain codes of conduct. Human being has to
adhere to these rules. Usually this need is fulfilled through marriage.
i) Maternal drive:
This is an instinct or an inborn tendency. Every normal woman aspires to become a
mother. Psychologists have Motivation, Emotion and Attitudinal Processes 123
learnt from related studies that, this is a most powerful drive. That is why in many
cases the women who cannot bear children of their own, will sublimate that motive
and satisfy it through socially acceptable ways, like working in orphan schools, baby
sittings or adopting other’s children.
II. Social Motives:
Physiological motives discussed above pertain to both animals as well as human beings, but
the social motives are specific only to human beings. These are called social motives,
because they are learnt in social groups as a result of interaction with the family and society.
That is why their strength differs from one individual to another. Many social motives are
recognised by psychologists. Some of the common social motives are:
a) Achievement motive:
Achievement motivation refers to a desire to achieve some goal. This motive is
developed in the individual who has seen some people in the society attaining high
success, reaching high positions and standards. He/she develops a concern to do
better, to improve performance. David C Mc Clelland who conducted a longitudinal
study on characteristics of high and low achievers found that the high achievers
choose and perform better at challenging tasks, prefers personal responsibility,
seeks and utilizes feedback about the performance standard, having innovative
ideas to improve performance.
On the other hand, low achievers do not accept challenges, puts on average
standards and accepts failures easily. Parents must try to inculcate leadership
qualities in children for better achievement in their future life.
They must allow children to take decisions independently, and guide them for higher
achievement from the childhood, so that the children develop high achievement
motivation.
b) Aggressive motive:
It is a motive to react aggressively when faced frustrations. Frustration may occur
when a person is obstructed from reaching a goal or when he is insulted by others.
Even in a fearful and dangerous do or die situation the individual may resort to
aggressive behaviour. Individual expresses such behaviour to overcome opposition
forcefully, which may be physical or verbal aggression.
c) Power motive:
People with power motive will be concerned with having an impact on others. They
try to influence people by their reputation. They expect people to bow their heads
and obey their instructions.
Usually people with high power motive choose jobs, where they can exert their
powers. They want people as followers. They expect high prestige and recognition
from others. For example, a person may aspire to go for jobs like Police Officer,
Politician, Deputy Commissioner, etc.
d) Acquisitive motive:
This motive directs the individual for the acquisition of material property. It may be
money or other property. This motive arises as we come across different people
who have earned a lot of money and leading a good life. It is a human tendency to
acquire all those things which appear attractive to him.
e) Curiosity motive:
This is otherwise called stimulus and exploration motive. Curiosity is a tendency to
explore and know new things. We see people indulge in a travelling to look at new
places, new things and new developments taking place outside their environment.
People want to extend their knowledge and experiences by exploring new things.
Curiosity motive will be very powerful during childhood. That is why they do not
accept any toy or other articles unless they examine them from different angles,
even at the cost of spoiling or breaking the objects.
f) Gregariousness:
This is also known as affiliation need. Gregariousness is a tendency to associate
oneself with other members of the group or same species. The individual will be
interested in establishing, maintaining and repairing friendly relationships and will
be interested in participating in group activities. Individual will conform to social
norms, mores and other ethical codes of the groups in which he/she is interested. To
the greater extent gregariousness is developed because many of the needs like basic
needs, safety and security needs are fulfilled.
In addition to the above there are some other social motives like need for self-
esteem, social approval, self-actualization, autonomy, master motive, combat,
defense, abasement, etc.
III. Personal Motives:
In addition to the above said physiological and social motives, there are some other motives
which are allied with both of the above said motives. These are highly personalized and very
much individualized motives. The most important among them are:
a) Force of habits:
We see different people having formed different habits like chewing tobacco,
smoking, alcohol consumption, etc. There may be good habits also like regular
exercising, reading newspapers, prayers, meditations, etc. Once these habits are
formed, they act as drivers and compel the person to perform the act. The specialty
of habits is that, they motivate the individual to indulge in that action automatically.
b) Goals of life:
Every normal individual will have some goals in the life. They may be related to
education, occupation, income, sports, acquisition of property, public service, social
service, etc. Once a goal is set, he will be motivated to fulfil that goal. The goals
people set, depend upon various factors like knowledge, information, guidance,
support, personality, facilities available, aspirations, family and social background,
etc.
c) Levels of aspirations:
Aspiration is aspiring to achieve or to get something or a goal. But such achievement
depends upon the level of motivation the individual has. Every individual will have a
goal in his life and strive to reach that goal. But the effort to attain that goal varies
from one individual to another. The amount of satisfaction he gains depends upon
his level of aspiration.
For example, if a student is expecting 80% of marks in examination, gets only 75%,
he may be unhappy. On the other hand, a student expecting failure may feel very
happy if he gets just 35% passing marks, because, the student with high level of
aspiration works hard, whereas the student with low level may not.
Hence, always higher level of aspiration is advisable. However, it should be on par
with his abilities also. Because, if an individual aspires for higher level of
achievement without possessing required ability, he will have to face frustration and
disappointment.
d) Attitudes and interests:
Our attitudes and interests determine our motivation. These are specific to
individual. For example, a person within the family, may have positive attitude
towards family planning and all others having negative attitudes.
So also, interests differ from one individual to another. Example, interest in sports,
T.V, etc. Whenever we have a positive attitude, we will have motivation to attain. In
negative attitude, we will be motivated to avoid. If a person is interested in music,
he will be motivated to learn it. In this way, our personal motives determine our
behaviour.
e) Unconscious motivation:
Sigmund Freud, the famous psychologist has explained elaborately about
unconscious motivation. According to him, there are certain motives of which we
are unaware, because they operate from our unconscious. These motives or desires
which are repressed by our conscious remain in our unconscious and will be
influencing our behaviour. Our irrational behaviour, the slip of tongue, slip of pen,
amnesia, multiple personality, somnambulism, etc., are some examples of such
behaviours for which we do not have answers apparently.
These motives can be delineated only by psychoanalysis. Many times psychosomatic
disorders like paralysis, headaches, gastric ulcers, etc., also may be due to
unconscious motivation.
FRUSTATION AND CONFLICT
You must be aware that it is not always easy to satisfy the needs. You must have a variety of needs
at a time. We all face certain difficulties in our attempts to satisfy the needs. We sometimes meet
with failures. Also, many obstacles prevent us from reaching the goals. When our needs are not
satisfied, we get frustrated.
Frustration is the feeling within an individual of being blocked in the attempts to satisfy needs which
one considers significant. Frustration refers to the blocking of behaviour directed towards a goal. An
individual displays some sort of disturbed behaviour when he or she is prevented form fulfilling the
desired goals. If motives are frustrated or blocked, the person may feel anxious, depressed or angry.
For example, if you want to go to a movie or want to play and your parents refuse permission, you
may show some kind of disturbed behaviour such as anger and shouting. Frustration often leads to
Generally, there are three main sources of frustration. These are as follows:
1) Environmental Forces: The environmental factors can frustrate the satisfaction of motives.
The obstacle may be physical such as lack of money or a road block. They may be social. For
instance, yours parents, teachers or classmates may prevent you from doing something
what you want to do.
2) Personal Factors or Limitations: They make goals unattainable and produce frustration. The
personal inadequacy may be either physical or psychological. The personal characteristics of
individual like personality or intelligence affect performance. The limitations of ability
frustrate individuals because they do not let him or her to achieve very high goals. At times
we have conflicting goals which create frustration.
3) Conflict: A conflict is a situation in which an individual is required to act in two or more
incompatible ways to achieve two or more exclusive goals. It occurs when an individual is
unable to choose between two or more goals.
We all confront some degree of conflict in every stage of our life. We sometimes face a situation
where we are supposed to choose between two or more alternatives. For example, we may have to
decide whether to buy a book or go to a movie. On the one hand, you may like to play and get
company of your friend, and on the other, if you study for the examination you may be successful in
the exams. The motive to play and get the company of the friend is thus in conflict with the motive
to be successful in examination.
Types of Conflicts: There are three kinds of conflict which are called “approachapproach conflict”,
“avoidance – avoidance conflict” and “approach – avoidance conflict”.
An approach-approach conflict is a situation when one has to choose between two positive and
equally attractive goals. It is caused when we have two pleasurable goals within our reach. We have
to choose one out of these two. The example of this kind of conflict may be found in a situation
when you are offered admission to two equally attractive courses of study for higher education and
you have to decide between them.
The second type of conflict is avoidance- avoidance conflict. It occurs when we have to decide
between two equally undesirable and negative goals. For example, such a conflict may arise when
you have to choose between goals that are equally disliked by you.
In approach-avoidance conflict, we are both attracted and repelled by the same goal. It arises when
there are both desirable and undesirable feelings associated with a single goal. For example, you
want to marry a girl to whom you love because your parents are not agreeable. You cannot marry
her as you do not hurt your parents as well. This kind of conflict is most difficult to resolve and brings
emotional discomfort.