Motivation Theories and Emotions

Motivation Theory

Fear

Extrinsic Motivation

The theory of intrinsic and extrinsic motives helps explain the presence of fear in motivation. An activity is intrinsically motivating if a person does it voluntarily, without receiving payment or other type of reward.

An activity is extrinsically motivated if it is performed primarily for external reinforcement such as food or money.

Extrinsic motivation is based on the emotions of desire and fear. First, there is a desire for the object of external reinforcement in return for a certain performance. Later, there is a fear of the loss of that object of external reinforcement if the performance is not adequate. This fear can either motivate the person to expend more effort or it can cause the person to be indecisive and catatonic.

Frustration

Flow

Flow is a psychological state coined by positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Flow is a state of elevated...
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