Lecture 4 – Motivation and Maslow

Let’s talk about what drives people — motives, needs, goals — basically why we do what we do.

What is a Motive?

A motive is a psychological push or pull. It moves us toward something we want or away from something we don’t. Think of it as energy aimed at a goal.

Need = something essential (e.g., food, safety)
Motive = a general internal drive
Goal = the endpoint of that drive

These words are used interchangeably, but the concept is the same: we’re driven beings.

Layers of Human Motivation

Humans operate with motives at different levels:

Basic: e.g. grasping, suckling, food
Psychological: e.g. competence, belonging
Transcendent: e.g. self-actualization, enlightenment

We juggle all these levels at once — we’re not simple.

Classic Theories of Motivation

Henry Murray

Created a long list of psychological needs (e.g. n Achievement, n Power, n Affiliation)
Combined psychoanalysis and literature
Worked under MKUltra — dark history, but influential

McClelland’s Big Three Motives

Achievement – Desire to be competent, to master skills
Affiliation – Need for intimacy, belonging, connection
Power – Drive to influence or shape others (can be positive or negative)

Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan)

Competence – Desire to feel effective
Relatedness – Desire to feel connected
Autonomy – Desire to feel in control of one’s own actions

Three Big Splits in Motivation

1. Approach vs. Avoidance

Approach = chasing the cheese (dopaminergic, optimistic)
Avoidance = running from the hawk (fear, adrenaline)

2. Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic

Intrinsic = you do it for joy
Extrinsic = you do it for a reward or punishment

Classic study: kids who loved drawing drew less when they were rewarded for it.

3. Explicit vs. Implicit

Explicit = conscious motives
Implicit = unconscious drives (Freudian, TAT tests, projective stories)

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow never drew a pyramid — that was later. But the hierarchy matters.

1. Physiological Needs

Food, water, oxygen, salt balance, etc.
Unconscious, homeostatic, like a thermostat (test-operate-test-exit)

2. Safety Needs

Stability in one’s environment (especially in childhood)
Routine, predictability, protection from chaos

3. Love/Belonging Needs

Friendship, intimacy, community, attachment
Also called: Relatedness, Affiliation, Connection

4. Esteem Needs

Desire to feel competent and respected by others
Self-esteem rooted in real achievement (not narcissism)
Similar to: Competence, Achievement motive

5. Self-Actualization

“What a man can be, he must be.”
Becoming who you were meant to be — fulfilling your unique potential
Artists paint, musicians make music, writers write — not for reward, but because they must

6. Self-Transcendence (Maslow’s later addition)

Going beyond the self
Living as an end in itself, not a means
Relating to others, nature, the cosmos
Often shows up as peak experiences or flow states

“Man is a perpetually wanting animal.” – Maslow

Flow States (Csikszentmihalyi)

Optimal experience when challenge = skill
Examples: climbing, sports, music, writing
You lose yourself in the task
Growth follows the flow channel: you constantly raise the challenge to stay engaged

Happiness & Motivation

According to Sonja Lyubomirsky:

“Happiness = joy, contentment, or positive well-being + a sense that life is meaningful and worthwhile.”

Three Types of Happiness:

Hedonia – pleasure, satisfaction, comfort
Eudaimonia – meaning, purpose, higher self
Richness – deep experiences, variety, story-worthy life

Final Thoughts

Motivation is complex — we juggle basic drives, social needs, higher goals, and transcendent aspirations
Intrinsic motivation creates joy, but can be crushed by too much external reward
Happiness is more than just feeling good — it’s about meaning and depth
To truly transcend, sometimes we need to stop thinking so much, and just live