Introduction
Motivation can be defined as having an incentive to carry out a particular activity. Motivation is something that gives out encouragement to a person. It includes such things as inspiration, stimulation, and encouragement. There are various theories that are used to describe motivation. These theories are based on several beliefs, morals, desires, and inspirations of people to take action in a particular manner. In this paper, several people are going to be considered basing on different theories of motivation on how they are motivated to strive towards achieving promotion in their careers. These people include Ella whose source of motivation is biological, Marcelo whose source is psychosocial and Masoko whose motivation is based on the interactionist theory of motivation.
Motivation Theories
The first theory here to be considered is the one on whose Marcelo’s motivation is based and this is the psychosocial theory. Under this theory, it is considered that the actualization of a person’s potential is the driving force of an individual’s personality. It is considered that motivation to acquire higher accomplishments can be achieved only after the motivation for lower accomplishments has been looked for and obtained. In this case, Marcelo is seeking for promotion after knowing that accomplishments sorted out in the current job have been achieved.
This theory is also considered to relate to the individual’s self-awareness and the inner knowledge about oneself. There is a belief that when an individual has self-like and feels comfortable with oneself and how he or she participates in carrying out activities, the motivation of such a person may be higher than that of an individual who is not sure about him or herself or that person who has not fully come to understand his or her own abilities in carrying out particular tasks. In this case, Marcelo is motivated by being aware of oneself and having confidence of being able to carry out tasks and at higher level than in the current position.
Considering Ella’s case basing on the biological theory of motivation, human beings possess internal biological needs which is a driving force to carry out particular activities in order to survive. According to Heffner (2001), Sigmund Freud believed that human beings have only two fundamental drives; life and death drives (Eros and Thanatos). Everything a human being does, everything he or she thinks about and every emotion the human being feels has one of the two goals; it is either to help him or her to survive or to avoid his or her destruction. Basing on this information, Ella is seeking promotion in order to ensure improved finances. This will ensure more money for health care, food, education for children among other needs in order to achieve better survival to avoid destruction.
The third theory to be considered is the interactionist motivation theory on whose Masoko’s motivation is based. This theory is based on the assumption that individuals will go after a particular way of living on the basis of conclusions drawn as well as inferences through the interactions they have as they socialize with one another. They are these attitudes of interacting that give people the inspiration and influence them to carry out their actions in a particular manner. An individual carries out the interpretation of the society basing on the kind of people he or she comes across, the experiences that he or she shares with these people and comes up with a viewpoint basing on these encounters. This theory holds it that there can not be generalizing of the society in terms of such issues as it being backward, progressive and so on but strongly gives support to the idea that each and every individual person can decide to break free and independently come up with his or her own assumptions about a manner in which to live and not necessarily working under the influence of the majority. Part of the interactionist approach of thinking is the idea that a person is not bound by the limitations that are social and is free to go on with life basing on his or her own mind set (Magar, 2009).
Relating this theory of the interactionist motivation to Masoko, he is seeking promotion basing on the experience acquired through interacting with people. The decision is originating on the personal decision regardless of what the general society requires. Through interaction, Masoko has been able to come up with a decision about what is right according to him and this is the driving force.
In the fourth case, a hypothesis is taken in which an individual by the name Sam has a realistic combination of the motivating theories that give rise to various factors inspiring him to seek promotion in the same organization. Under this hypothesis, Sam is motivated basing on the three theories discussed. That is, the biological theory of motivation, the psychosocial motivation, and the interactionist theory of motivation.
This case of Sam is common in the real life situations since people do not just get motivated basing on just a single theory. For instance, Sam will be motivated to seek promotion basing on the fact that he might have realized his own abilities to hold a higher position and has self-confidence. This is on the basis of the psychosocial theory of motivation. The drive is coupled with his desire to be able to survive and avoid destruction. He has the desire to acquire more finances to meet all the needs that can enable him lead a more comfortable life. This is on the basis of the biological theory of motivation.
More so, the self confidence and the desire to lead a more comfortable life may be springing from the interactions he has with other people in the society that has enabled him to come up with a decision to seek promotion in order to move up from the current position. Through his own observations, on the basis of the interactionist theory of motivation, he has seen the need for him to seek promotion. He may not go with the general opinion of the public but decides to go his own way to achieve higher goals within the society.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the theories of motivation discussed do interact with each other in one way or the other. All the theories seek to offer an explanation as to why individuals get motivated to acquire higher positions in life than the current positions they are holding. The biological theory interact with, for instance, the psychosocial theory motivation in a way that an individual may start by assessing his or her financial needs that drives him or her to work harder and the next assessment is of the abilities that the individual has. This leads to the same goal in cases considered; to look for promotion. More so, because of the abilities and the self confidence an individual might be having and the need to have more money to be able to survive better and avoid destruction, through interacting with other people in society, he or she will be able to make an independent decision to seek for promotion. This is on the basis of the interactionist theory of motivation.
Reference List
Heffner, C. L. (2001). Motivation and Emotion. Web.
Magar, P. (2009). Interactionist Theory of Motivation. Web.