Motivation - Dallas Cowboys Vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Motivation

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Motivation is an influence that accounts for the initiation, direction, intensity, and persistence of behavior. Motivations are reasons behind people’s thoughts and behaviors. There are four sources of motivation which include Biological factors such as food, water, sex, and temperature regulation. Emotional factors which cause pain, fear, anger, love and hate. Cognitive factors are perceptions, beliefs, and expectations. Lastly, social factors such as reactions to parents, friends, and media.

Motivation has many theories behind it such as Arousal, Incentive, Instinct and Drive Reduction. Arousal is a basic activation level and people work and feel well when moderately aroused while over arousal will make the performance fade. The Arousal Theory argues that people act in order to maintain a personal optimal arousal level which they seek excitement when bored and relax when overexcited. The Incentive Theory looks at behavior as goal directed by gaining positive incentives and avoiding negative ones and behavior is guided by rewards and the treat of punishment.

Instinct Theory consists of instincts which are automatic, involuntary, unlearned behavior patterns which consistently release or trigger a specific stimulus. Instincts explain how animals and humans can biologically be “ready” to learn associations or detect certain sensory or perceptual patterns. The Drive Reduction Theory consists of a primary drive and a secondary drive. The primary drives rise from basic unlearned biological needs like food and water. The secondary drives are learned from previous associations with fulfillment of primary drives.

Achievement motivation is where people work extremely hard due to extrinsic motivation, a desire for external rewards like money. Other behaviors also are due to intrinsic motivation like a desire for internal satisfaction such as a sense of accomplishment. A need for achievement is a specific motive to conquer tasks, and bring intense satisfaction from doing so.

I previously watched the Dallas Cowboys play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Achievement motivation was clearly a factor in this game. The Eagles put 7 points on the board first, but this did not stop the Cowboys.