motivation to work: need theories Flashcards
(17 cards)
maslow’s hierarchy of needs
abraham maslow 1943
physiological needs
safety
long and belonging
esteem
self actualisation
how does maslow’s hierarchy work?
need to satisfy the most basic needs at the bottom of the hierarchy before moving up to the next stage
1-4 deficiency needs where motivated to obtain smth we dont have
longer unmet = stronger motivation
self actualisation - growth need
from trying to obtain smth that is lacking to trying to grow as a person
everyone has ability to reach top but life experiences can move u back down the hierarchy eg…divorce or losing a job
lack of validity of maslow
may not be valid
he says lower needs must be met before higher needs met
but can be disputed
bc people in poverty can still show love and belonging
eg…mother teresa lived in poverty but still arguably achieved self actualisation
maslow cultural differences
does not take into account
assumes self actualisation is same in all cultures
collectivist like china may be diff than individualist like USA
application to everyday life maslow
can be applied
large contribution to org psych and motivation at work
employers can use to ensure workers feel safe, stable wage, more motivation
so theory useful
reductionism vs holism maslow
holistic than other theories like cognitive
states it’s not j psysiological needs but also psychological like self esteem and belonging
so more complete theory, takes into acc a number of factors in terms of motivation
determinism vs free will maslow
maslow = humanistic psychologist
free will side of the debate
free will necessary to self actualise
if cannot meet basic physiological needs through work then have choice to look for new job and leave
BUT been tho have free will, sometimes behaviour to an extent is bc of external forces outside of our control like the inability to find a new job
mcclelland’s theory of achievement motivation 1961
built on maslow
three work related motivational needs
achievement
power
affiliation
universal needs regardless of age race or gender
all possess it and motivated to satisfy them
may not possess them all in equal amount and one can be dominant
dominant motivator will shape our behaviour at work
mcclelland believed our specific mix of motivational needs are shaped by lfie experiences and culture
therefore learned behaviours
achievement
achieve smth in the work u do, master a task
someone w high achievement needs will try to succeed by avoiding low reward or low risk of failure situations
but also difficult to ahcieve and high risk of failure situations
low risk avoided bc too easy so not real achievement
high risk then maybe will be seen as luck not achievement
high achievers want regular feedback to monitor progress and rather work alone or w other high achievers
low achievement = avoid responsibility at work and have fear of failing
these the best leaders in the workplace
affiliation
social interactions
liked accepted and part of group
high affiliations conform to group norms, don’t challnge them fear of rejection
not risk takers, prefer collaboration to competition, dont draw attention to themselves
eg singled out for prause
prefer work thats time spent w others
perform in team activities and well suited to customer service
low affiliation needs = not team player, no social interaction, distant from others, do not seek acceptance
power
leadership positions
desire to be in control and have authority over others
make an impact and influence decision making processes
high power needs want prestige and high status and viewpoint accepted
low power not seek those positions
remain dependant on others to make decisions not take lead
reduce importance of role when speaking to others
two types of power
personal - need to control others
institutional/social - need to coordinate and organise a group or team to further the goals of a business
thematic apperception test (TAT)
test that involves a person describing ambigious stimuli
tests imagination
shows series of ambiguous pics (20)
after each pic need to make up a story
stories will reveal unconscious motives and needs
devised a way of scoring stories w regard to power affiliation and achivement
mclelland cultual differences
weakness
doesn’t take gender into account or cultural diff
constructed using males working in orgs
from western society and individualist cultures
not be able to apply to females on collectivist eg japan where work needs for power may not be the same
mclelland individual situations
only considers individual not situational factors
eg satisfied power means has authority
but only works if others submissive in workfroce
so the social situation needs to be right
and not j individual needs
incomplete theory and cannot explain all factors in workpalce motivation
mclelland eval ?
can be analysed statistically bc scoring system
but measuring unobservable personality characteristics from preconscious mind
so any results obtained can’t be disproven either
mclelland strength
used to find needs to employees
can place people in areas they’re most suited
screen potential employees if they suit the job
can improve productivity and staff retention
