motivation
the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent handle motivation as a psychological concept with sources, strength and direction, and avoid attributing motives to people without evidence.
The psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for acting, including needs, incentives and motives.
What it is for: Explaining and supporting goal-directed behaviour in work, learning and health.
It can be study it, in psychology; support it, through goal setting and feedback; design incentives, ethically; infer motives, cautiously.
Distinguishing features
Drives goal-directed action
Intrinsic and extrinsic sources
Varies in strength and direction
Motive attribution is an inference
What it looks like
Not visible; inferred from behaviour and self-report.
How it is recognised
Stated reasons and goals
Persistence and effort in behaviour
Incentives in programmes and workplaces
Related models
drives - action
is studied by - discipline
is influenced by - external factors
is confused with - a plan to act
In practice
Families and kinds
intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
needs and drives
incentives and inducements
rational and emotional motives
Standards and regulation
Consumer law on manipulative practices
Workplace law on incentive schemes
Failure modes and hazards
Attributing motives without evidence
Manipulative incentives
Undermining intrinsic motivation with poorly designed rewards
Analytical facets
- substance
- abstract
- origin
- conceptual
- agency
- inert
- mobility
- not-applicable
- scale
- not-applicable
- affordances
- observable
Also called
+28
Where this came from
oewn:2024 · CC BY 4.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Source Where it comes from.
Source shapes behaviour.
Type
Intrinsic or extrinsic.
Type
Source of motivation.
- Is the motivation intrinsic or extrinsic? definition
- What need does it serve? definition
Evidence
How known.
Evidence
Evidence of motive.
- What evidence supports this account of motive? provenance
- Is it self-reported or inferred? boundary
Strength How strong.
Strength predicts persistence.
Measure
Scales.
Measure
Measurement.
- How is motivation measured here? provenance
- Is the measure validated? provenance
Change
Over time.
Change
Changes over time.
- How has it changed? measurement
- What affected it? definition
Support Helping motivation.
Support should respect autonomy.
Methods
Goals and feedback.
Methods
Supportive methods.
- Which methods support motivation with evidence? provenance
- Do they respect autonomy? boundary
Incentives
Rewards.
Incentives
Incentive design.
- Are incentives fair and transparent? boundary
- Could they backfire? boundary
Ethics Not manipulating.
Influence must be ethical.
Manipulation
Dark patterns.
Manipulation
Manipulation risks.
- Is anyone being manipulated through their motives? boundary
- Would it be disclosed? boundary
Attribution
Claims about others.
Attribution
Claims about motives.
- Is a motive being attributed fairly? boundary
- How should uncertainty be stated? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should kinds of motivation be separate entries?
- How should agents mark inferred motives?
- How should ethical limits on incentives be represented?