Motivation

Once that need is fulfilled there is no need for the behavior. The criticism for Maslow’s theory is that measurement of satisfaction of needs is impossible and whether people have been devoid of basic needs, it does not stop them from the pursuit of self-actualization. (Heylighen, Francis (1992) A Cognitive-systemic Reconstruction of Maslow’s Theory of Self-Actualization. P[47]).

Abraham Maslow stated that humans are driven by biologically established needs, which he identifies as deficiency needs (basic) and growth needs (meta) (The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, 2017). As most theories, the theory of self-actualization theory is based on stages to pass from one to another. The Maslow 's theory is often displayed as a pyramid where the lowest level that has to be fulfilled before any other upper level are the basic needs and the complex needs are at the top of the pyramid. In addition, Maslow contends that these self-actualizing individuals are highly creative and demonstrate a capacity to resolve dichotomies inherent in ultimate contraries, such as life versus death and freedom versus determinism, as examples (Olson, 2013).

Motivation refers to the processes that lead to certain behaviours within organisms. They are the drives, needs, wants and interests that push individuals to partake in goal directed behaviour, that is actions that contribute to the achievement of a desired outcome. Tom is a 45 year old male who was recently involved in a car accident following the request of a divorce from his wife. Consequently, Tom sustained injuries to the frontal and left temporal lobe of his brain as well as a broken leg, ankle and shoulder. He is medically stable and has recently been sent to rehabilitation, however is refusing to leave his room and resisting therapy sessions with numerous health professionals. Many motivational theories can be utilised in order to

As stated further by Maslow, there are five levels in the need hierarchy, which are physiological, safety, love and belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization and they are very often of unconscious nature and can be at certain times reserved. Unfortunately, there are not too many who are capable of reaching self-actualization and the ones who will are very creative and acknowledge the world very accurately. An individual however is always aware of the fact that he or she has possesses a choice and therefore he or she has the ability to influence their behavior and personality at anytime (Cloninger, 2008).

Physiological needs, such as food and shelter, are followed by needs related to safety. Next, there are needs of love and belonging. Fourth, humans have needs of esteem, such as the need for being respected. The final need in the hierarchy is the need for self-actualization (fulfilling one's potential). The hierarchy suggests that basic needs must be met prior to less basic needs; for example, a starving person will seek food before self-actualization.”(Maslow,

The drive-reduction theory assumes that humans possess bodily necessities, such as food. Additionally, when without the necessities, the drive to receive those necessities occurs, such as hunger. The drive makes humans try to lessen the need. To lessen the reoccurring food example, one would have to eat. The arousal theory states that once aroused, humans enliven or stiffen. Additionally, without the motivation built upon necessities, curiosity then causes humans and animals to explore and investigate. If humans have fulfilled their physiological and biological requirements to survive, they hunt for arousal elsewhere. Furthermore, the hierarchy theory refers to Abraham Maslow’s pyramid of human needs. The pyramid breaks up into six sections,

* The Content theories demonstrate why individuals have different needs in different point in time and it explains the factors that motivate the individuals. A Maslow, an American psychologist has developed the “Hierarchy of Needs” theory to explain why individuals’ needs are changing. The “Hierarchy of Needs” is represented as a pyramid identifying 5 levels of the humans’ needs from the physiological needs at the bottom (hunger, thirst…) to the self actualization (morality, creativity, self development…). This theory suggests that once individuals have fulfilled the needs at the bottom, they become motivated to fulfill higher level needs.

Maslow (1943) sets out to provide a theory as to why we as individuals become motivated to satisfy our basic needs and seek to fulfill other needs once the previous ones have been satisfied. He developed a concept called the hierarchy of needs, which he uses to interpret the different levels of needs individuals acquire. This theory is of importance as it provides reasoning and structure for the fulfillment of our everyday needs. After describing the five needs, the author talks about the pre-conditions that must be met in order to satisfy basic needs. Further discussion of characteristics pertaining to the theory will lead into the degree of fixity of the hierarchy.

Motivation is an initiative behaviour that provides guidance and goal orientation. Motivation can be divided into two types, extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation (Ryan 2016). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory can be used clearly to identify the issue of motivation to affect individual’s behaviour. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory is divided in to five stages consisting of Physiological needs, Safety needs, Social needs also refers to basic needs, growth needs are refer to as Esteem needs and Self-Actualization. “Maslow (1943) stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs. When need is fulfilled a person seeks to fulfil the next one, and so on” (McLeod 2007). Basic needs must be satisfy before moving to a higher level which is growth needs and once growth needs is satisfy, one would be able to achieve self-actualization at the top.

5. Maslow argued that each level in the needs hierarchy must be substantially satisfied before the

Humans have to eat, drink, and breathe in order to survive (Maslow, 1943). These needs should be satisfied first (Reid-Cunningham, 2008). Secondly, safety needs refer to people’s securities, for example job security, living in a safe environment, and being healthy. Safety needs come after the physiological needs (Ondabu, 2014). Thirdly, love and belonging needs refer to the love from family, friends, and society (Maslow, 1943). In this step, people want to be a member of a group and want to be accepted and loved by the group members (Reid-Cunningham,

Alderfer explains that as one move up the ladder, the more difficult it becomes to achieve needs at that level. For example, the complexity of satisfying relatedness needs at the work place is intensified by differences of individual needs. This is because people working together at any institution, are at different stages of fulfillment or regression. Some may be aiming at the big shot while others may be striving to achieve existence needs. It is therefore very important for managers to address the three needs so as to alleviate any impending conflict among workers. Some workers may be more inclined to growth needs than existence or relatedness needs; providing a platform for their growth is therefore very necessary to avert depression.

The purpose of this study is to examine the underlying reasons an employee is motivated to function at his or her best. I am currently employed at the Erie County Board of Developmental Disabilities (ECBDD). It is a public local governmental agency charged with providing support to individuals with disabilities who qualify for services. The agency is funded through tax dollars at the local, state and federal level. The annual operating budget is approximately $8,000,000, and seventy percent of these dollars are collected through local property taxes.

One of the first authors that dealt with the sources of motivation was Frederick Taylor who focussed on the overall productivity of an organisation. He linked this productivity to the effort an employee puts into their work which in turn is dependent on monetary rewards (Taylor, 1911). This theory was established in the context of the industrial age and thus is outdated for today’s analysis but it still provides a basic assumption which is often referred to by other authors. The total neglecting of a worker’s intrinsic motivators is a starting point for discussion for authors that conducted research in that area after Taylor.

This approach proposes that unsatisfied needs motivate behavior, and that as lower level needs are satisfied, they become less important. Higher level needs, though, become more important as they are satisfied, and if these needs are not met, a person may move down the hierarchy, which Alderfer calls the frustration‐regression principle. What he means by this term is that an already satisfied lower level need can become reactivated and influence behavior when a higher level need cannot be satisfied. As a result, managers should provide opportunities for workers to capitalize on the importance of higher level needs.