What Pushes Behavior
Motivation is the set of processes that initiate, direct, and sustain behavior toward a goal. Early instinct theory viewed behavior as driven by fixed, innate patterns, but failed to account for human flexibility.
Drive-reduction theory (Clark Hull) proposed a dynamic alternative: a physiological need creates an aroused psychological state called a drive, motivating behavior to reduce it and restore homeostasis.
| Concept | Role |
|---|---|
| Physiological need | The biological deficit (e.g. low blood sugar) |
| Drive | The aroused psychological state (e.g. hunger) |
| Homeostasis | The stable baseline to restore |
Here, motivation is fundamentally a PUSH from within.
Pushes and Pulls
Drive-reduction theory explains behavior tied to physiological needs, but struggles with behaviors that seek stimulation without any biological deficit.
Incentive theory addresses this by emphasizing external stimuli that PULL behavior toward them for their anticipated rewards. Contemporary accounts treat drive-reduction (internal push) and incentive (external pull) as complementary.
Common pitfall: treating drive-reduction theory as a complete account of all motivation. It fails to explain sensation-seeking, curiosity, and reward-pursuit behaviors that do not reduce a biological deficit, which is why incentive theory is necessary.