Theories of Work Motivation

Question 1

Motivation

Answer 1

Extent to which persistent effort is directed toward a goal
Effort, persistence, direction, goals
Temporary and fleeting

Question 2

Effort

Answer 2

How much energy, enthusiasm, vigour, intensity

Question 3

Persistence

Answer 3

How long
Continued activation and direction despite hardships, obstacles, failures

Question 4

Direction

Answer 4

For what/quality
Good directions are channeling energy toward goals that benefit the organization

Question 5

Intrinsic Motivation

Answer 5

Stems from direct relationship between the worker and the task
Feelings of achievement, accomplishment, challenge, and competence derived from performing job
Strongly related to quality of performance
More beneficial for performance on complex tasks

Question 6

Extrinsic Motivation

Answer 6

Stems from work environment external to the task
Usually applied by another person
E.g. pay, benefits, company policies
Strongly related to quantity of performance
More beneficial for performance on simple and mundane tasks
Can reduce the intrinsic motivation stemming from the task itself

Question 7

Performance

Answer 7

Extent to which an organizational member contributes to achieving the objectives of the organization
Amount, persistence, and direction of effort lead to motivation

Question 8

General Cognitive Ability

Answer 8

Person’s basic info-processing capacities and cognitive resources
E.g. verbal, numerical, spatial, and reasoning abilities
Predicts career success, learning, performance, etc

Question 9

Emotional Intelligence

Answer 9

Ability to understand and manage one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions

Question 10

Self Interest

Answer 10

Psychological egoism
Hedonism: maximize utility (approach pleasure avoid pain)

Question 11

Need Theories

Answer 11

Specify the kinds of needs people have and the conditions under which they will be motivated to satisfy these needs in a way that contributes to performance
Focus on WHAT motivates workers

Maslow’s Hierarchy
ERG Theory
Theory of Needs
Self determination theory

Question 12

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Answer 12

Motivation depends on person’s position in the need hierarchy
Needs are invariant
Prepotency: lowest unsatisfied need becomes largest motivator
Physiological, safety, belongings, esteem, and self actualization needs

Question 13

Physiological Needs

Answer 13

Needs required for survival including food, water, oxygen, shelter
In an organization could include minimum pay required to survive and good working conditions

Question 14

Safety Needs

Answer 14

Need for security, stability, freedom from anxiety, and structured and ordered environment
In an organization safe work conditions, fair and sensible rules and regulations, job security, comfortable work environment, pension and insurance plans, pay above min need for survival

Question 15

Belongingness Needs

Answer 15

Need for social interaction, affection, love, companionship, friendship
In an organization opportunities to interact with others, friendly and supportive supervision, opportunity for teamwork, opportunity to develop new social relationships

Question 16

Esteem Needs

Answer 16

Needs for feelings of adequacy, competence, independence, strength and confidence, appreciation and recognition of these characteristics by others
In an organization opportunity to master tasks leading to feelings of achievement and responsibility, awards, promotions, professional recognition

Question 17

Self Actualization Needs

Answer 17

Desire to develop true potential as an individual to the fullest extent and to express one’s skills, talents, and emotions in a manner that is most personally fulfilling
In an organization absorbing jobs with potential for creativity and growth as well as a relaxation of structure to permit self development and personal progression

Question 18

Alderfer’s ERG Theory

Answer 18

Similar to Maslow’s, less concrete needs, less rigid
The more lower level needs are gratified, the more higher level need satisfaction is desired
The less higher level needs are gratified, the more lower level need satisfaction is desired
Existence, relatedness, growth needs

Question 19

Existence Needs

Answer 19

Satisfied by material substance or condition (maps onto safety and physiological needs)
E.g. need for food, shelter, pay, safe work conditions

Question 20

Relatedness Needs

Answer 20

Satisfied by open communication and exchange of thoughts and feelings with others (maps onto belongingness and self esteem)
E.g. open, accurate, honest interaction and not by uncritical pleasantness

Question 21

Growth Needs

Answer 21

Satisfied by strong personal involvement in the work setting (maps onto self actualization and self esteem)
E.g. full utilization of one’s skills and abilities and the creative development of new skills and abilities

Question 22

McClelland’s Theory of Needs

Answer 22

Needs reflect relatively stable personality characteristics that one acquires through early life experiences and exposure to selected aspects of one’s society
People only have certain needs, not all needs
People will be motivated to seek out and perform well in jobs that match their needs

Question 23

Need for Achievement (n ach)

Answer 23

Strong desire to perform challenging tasks well
Preference for situations in which personal responsibility can be taken for outcomes
Tendency to set moderately difficult goals that provide for calculated risks
Desire for performance feedback, concerned with bettering performance
Growth or self actualization need

Question 24

Need for Affiliation (n aff)

Answer 24

Strong desire to establish and maintain friendly, compatible interpersonal relationships
Communicate frequently with others
Prefer to avoid conflict and competition, exhibit strong conformity
Belongingness or relatedness need

Question 25

Need for Power (n pow)

Answer 25

Desire influence over others, want to make impact on others Seek out settings where they can be influential Power can be used in a variety of ways Corresponds to self esteem need

Question 26

Self Determination Theory

Answer 26

Focuses on types of motivation -Controlled/extrinsic motivation -Autonomous/intrinsic motivation -Amotivation Satisfaction of three basic psychological needs leads to autonomous motivation and controlled motivation

Question 27

Self Determination Theory: Psychological Needs

Answer 27

Competence: feeling sense of mastery and being effective at optimally challenging tasks Autonomy: having choice and feeling volitional in one’s behaviour Relatedness: feeling connected to others, sense of mutual respect

Question 28

Self Determination Theory: Motivation Types

Answer 28

Autonomous motivation: self motivation or intrinsic motivation Controlled motivation: motivated to obtain a desired consequence or extrinsic rewards (extrinsic motivation) Amotivation: complete lack of motivation

Question 29

Autonomy Study: Hidden Figures Task

Answer 29

Informational feedback during hidden figures (where’s waldo task) -Not seen as controlling -Preferred feedback style -Spent more time engaged in the task Evaluative feedback during hidden figures (where’s waldo task) -Scripted statements (e.g. you should try harder, you’re doing excellent work) -Language communicates controlling nature

Question 30

SOMA Experiment

Answer 30

Copies of popular magazines and SOMA pieces on table Gave break in the middle of each study where researcher left room (every day) How much time would they do the puzzles for after he left When external rewards and punishments are sole motivator, they lose intrinsic motivation and motivation drops when reward is taken away

Question 31

Autonomy Support

Answer 31

Providing employees with choice and encouragement for personal initiative Positively related to satisfaction of needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy

Question 32

Process Theories of Motivation

Answer 32

HOW motivation occurs Expectancy theory Equity theory Goal setting theory

Question 33

Expectancy Theory

Answer 33

Belief that motivation is determined by the outcome that people expect to occur as a result of their actions on the job Expectancy: probability that effort result in intended result Instrumentality: probability that effort improves outcomes Valence: importance of the good outcome

Question 34

Expectancy Theory: Outcomes

Answer 34

Consequences that follow certain work behaviours First level outcomes Of particular interest to the organization E.g. productivity level, attendance Second level outcomes Consequences that follow attainment of a particular first level outcome More personally relevant to individual worker E.g. amount of pay, sense of accomplishment, acceptance by peers

Question 35

Equity Theory

Answer 35

Workers compare inputs and outcome received against inputs and outcomes of others When ratios are equal, feel fair and equitable exchange exists

Question 36

Goal Setting Theory

Answer 36

Goals are most motivational when specific, challenging and when organizational members are committed to them

Question 37

Why Do Goals Work

Answer 37

Direction: direct attention toward goal relevant activities Effort: lead to greater effort Persistence: challenging goals increase and prolong persistence Strategies: lead to discovery and use of relevant strategies for attainment

Question 38

Good Goals

Answer 38

Specific Challenge (difficult but not impossible) Commitment (if not committed to goal won't be motivated by it) Feedback (feedback compares current performance and goal)

Question 39

GPA & Goal Setting

Answer 39

8 step intensive goal setting intervention vs control group Control group had no GPA increase Intervention group had a GPA increase across two semesters

Question 40

Goals & Feedback Study

Answer 40

Count number of times delivery drivers come to a full stop at stop sign Baseline: less than half the time are coming to a complete stop Goal + Feedback: come to full stop 75% of the time, give feedback weekly When removed feedback, stopping decreased again to what it was at baseline

Question 41

Pitfalls to Goal Setting: Inability

Answer 41

Change content of goal

Question 42

Pitfalls to Goal Setting: Negative Feedback

Answer 42

Older turkish women facing discrimination in job market Had many negative self statements about themselves People who transformed their self statements through verbal self guidance were more likely to find work Differences persist one year later

Question 43

Pitfalls to Goal Setting: Ethics

Answer 43

More people lied about performance when there was a specific goal Even more lied when there was a goal and reward Incentives enhance motivation of goals which can promote unethical behaviour

Question 44

Enhancing Goal Commitment

Answer 44

Participation Rewards Management support

Question 45

Goal Commitment

Answer 45

Attachment to or determination to reach a goal Extent to which discrepancy will motivate you is dependent on your commitment to the goal People with low goal commitment, goal difficulty has no effect on performance People with high goal commitment increase performance with high goals

Question 46

Goal Orientation

Answer 46

Individual’s goal preferences in achievement situations Learning, performance-prove, performance avoid

Question 47

Learning Goal Orientation

Answer 47

Most concerned about learning something new and developing their competence in an activity by acquiring new skills and mastering new situations

Question 48

Performance-Prove Goal Orientation

Answer 48

Concerned about demonstrating their competence in performing a task by seeking favourable judgments about the outcome of their performance

Question 49

Performance-Avoid Goal Orientation

Answer 49

Concerned about avoiding negative judgements about the outcome of their performance

Question 50

Goal Proximity

Answer 50

Distal goal: long term or end goal (e.g. certain level of sales performance) Proximal goal: short term goal or sub-goal is instrumental for achieving a distal goal (progress markers for distal goals)