Needs,
Motivation and Attribution
Theory
<>This
activity merges motivational
theories from Maslow, Herzberg, McGregor and McClelland.
Maslow used his hierarchy
to explain
why individuals made their choices to meet specific needs. While
the
order can vary under extreme circumstances they usually begin with
basic needs,
and extend upward to safety needs, belonging needs, esteem needs and
finally
self-actualization needs.
Herzberg examined individuals behaviours at work and proposed
that the
motivation to perform on the job depended upon two different sets of
factors. The first set know as 'hygiene' or
'maintenance factors'
included security, status, relationship with subordinates, personal
life,
relationship with peers, salary, work conditions, relationship with
supervisor,
company policies and administration, and supervision. These
factors while
necessary to make individuals happy, lose their capacity to motivate
once they
are satisfied. The second
set of factors
included personal growth, advancement, responsibility, work itself,
recognition
and achievement. Alan Chapman represents
the relationship between these sets of
factors using a rocket diagram. The hygiene factors provide the launch
pad, an essential
although relatively fixed necessity. The motivational factors are the
stages of
the rocket, each providing more potential for individuals to increase
happiness
and productivity.
McGregor examined motivation from
two possible realities which he labeled as Theory X
and Theory Y. The first - Theory X
states that people lack ambition,
dislike work and avoid it whenever possible. These people must be
forced to
work. The second - Theory Y states that people do not need external
control, are
self directed and often seek responsibility.
Personal Questionnaires Student Questionnaires
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McClelland focused on needs that, to
varying degrees, motivate individuals. He proposed three of these: a)
need for
achievement - the attainment of realistic goals, b) need for power and
authority - personal status and the capacity to make an impact, and c)
need for
affiliation - to be liked, to interact with others and have friendly
relationships.
Since
future behaviour is at least
partly determined by our past behaviours, Weiner examined motivation
from a
cause and effect perspective to form his attribution
theory. This theory deals
with how people explain (attribute) why things happen to them based on
past
experiences. Attribution theory explains
‘learned helplessness’ as a result of individuals with low self-concept
attributing failure to lack of ability and failing to connect effort
with
success. Individuals who exhibit ‘learning
perseverance’ see failure as temporary and attribute success to
persistence and
new strategies.
<>Our
responsibility as teachers is to
use these theories to improve student self-efficacy and to enhance
student
learning using a Professional
Learning
Community approach in schools.