Boost Your Reading Skills
Welcome to your next reading challenge! This passage delves into the psychological theories of motivation, a topic that requires you to understand and compare abstract concepts. Mastering this skill is vital for achieving a high score on your international exam.
Let’s review some key strategies for this type of text:
- Look for Structure Words: Authors use specific words to structure their arguments. When you see words like “First,” “In contrast,” “Furthermore,” or “Similarly,” pay attention. They are signposts that tell you how ideas relate to each other. This passage compares several theories, so these words are your best friends.
- Focus on Definitions: When a theory or key term (like “intrinsic motivation” or “self-actualization”) is introduced, the text will almost always define it. Locate this definition and make sure you understand it, as questions will certainly test this.
- Don’t Let Names Confuse You: You will see names like Maslow and Herzberg. Don’t worry about memorizing who said what. Focus on understanding the idea or theory associated with each name. The questions will be about the concepts, not just the names.
- Pacing is Crucial: For a passage like this, which is dense with concepts, give yourself a little more time for reading. Aim for a total time of around 20 minutes: about 8 minutes to read and digest the passage, and then about 12 minutes to carefully answer the 10 questions.
Let’s explore what makes us tick.
Reading Passage
The question of what drives human behavior is one of the most fundamental inquiries in psychology. Motivation, the force that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors, is not a monolithic entity but a complex interplay of physiological, emotional, social, and cognitive forces. Over the years, numerous theories have emerged to explain this internal engine, each offering a different lens through which to view human action. Early theories often focused on instincts and drives, proposing that behavior was primarily motivated by the need to satisfy basic biological requirements such as hunger, thirst, and security.
One of the most widely recognized theories is Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Proposed in 1943, this model is typically visualized as a pyramid with the most fundamental needs at the base and the most abstract at the pinnacle. The theory posits that individuals must satisfy lower-level needs before they are motivated to pursue higher-level ones. The base of the pyramid consists of physiological needs (food, water, shelter), followed by safety needs (security, stability). Once these are met, individuals seek to fulfill social needs for belonging and love, then esteem needs (respect, recognition). The ultimate goal, at the very peak of the pyramid, is self-actualization—the desire to achieve one’s full potential and become the most that one can be. While influential, Maslow’s theory has been critiqued for its rigid structure; in reality, people may pursue higher needs even when lower ones are not fully satisfied.
Another significant contribution is Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory, which emerged from research in workplace settings. Herzberg distinguished between two sets of factors: hygiene factors and motivators. Hygiene factors are elements of the work environment such as salary, working conditions, and company policies. Their absence or inadequacy leads to dissatisfaction, but their presence does not, in itself, produce satisfaction or motivation. They merely prevent dissatisfaction. In contrast, motivators (or satisfiers) are intrinsic to the work itself and include factors like achievement, recognition, responsibility, and personal growth. According to Herzberg, these are the factors that truly motivate an individual to superior performance and effort. The theory’s key insight is that satisfaction and dissatisfaction are not opposite ends of a single spectrum; rather, they are two independent scales.
In recent decades, there has been a significant shift towards cognitive theories of motivation, which emphasize the role of thoughts, beliefs, and expectations. A prominent example is the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation involves engaging in a behavior because it is personally rewarding; essentially, performing the activity for its own sake. A person who writes music for the sheer joy of creating is intrinsically motivated. Extrinsic motivation, conversely, refers to doing something to earn an external reward or avoid punishment. The same musician, if writing a jingle solely to get paid, would be extrinsically motivated. Research suggests that an over-reliance on extrinsic rewards can sometimes undermine intrinsic motivation—a phenomenon known as the overjustification effect. Offering a child money for getting good grades, for example, might diminish their innate curiosity and love of learning. This underscores the delicate balance required to foster genuine, long-lasting motivation.
Comprehension Quiz
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
Monolithic
Large, powerful, and indivisible; lacking in variety or internal structure.
How we used it: We said motivation is not a “monolithic entity.” This means it’s not one single, simple force, but rather a complex concept made up of many different interacting parts.
Posits
To put forward as a fact or as a basis for argument.
How we used it: Maslow’s theory “posits” that individuals must satisfy lower-level needs first. This is a formal way of saying the theory suggests or proposes this idea.
Pinnacle
The most successful point; the culmination.
How we used it: Self-actualization is at the “pinnacle” of Maslow’s pyramid, meaning it is the highest and ultimate level of achievement in his model.
Intrinsic
Belonging naturally; essential.
How we used it: Herzberg’s “motivators” are “intrinsic to the work itself,” meaning they are an essential and natural part of the job (like the feeling of achievement), not something added from the outside. The same word is used for “intrinsic motivation” (motivation from within).
Spectrum
A range of different positions, opinions, etc., between two extreme points.
How we used it: Herzberg’s theory states that satisfaction and dissatisfaction are not on a single “spectrum.” This means they aren’t just opposite ends of the same scale (like hot and cold); they are two separate and independent things.
Prominent
Important; famous.
How we used it: We referred to the intrinsic/extrinsic distinction as a “prominent example” of cognitive theory. This means it is a well-known and important example.
Conversely
Introducing a statement or idea that reverses a preceding one.
How we used it: We described intrinsic motivation, and then used “conversely” to introduce the opposite idea, extrinsic motivation. It’s a great transition word for showing contrast.
Undermine
To lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of, especially gradually or insidiously.
How we used it: The passage warns that extrinsic rewards can “undermine” intrinsic motivation. This means the external reward can weaken or damage the internal motivation that was already there.
Overjustification effect
A specific psychological phenomenon where a person’s intrinsic interest in an activity is diminished by introducing an external reward.
How we used it: This was a key term in the final paragraph, defined as what happens when an external motivator (like money) reduces a person’s natural, internal motivation (like a love of learning).
Innate
Inborn; natural.
How we used it: The passage discusses how a reward might diminish a child’s “innate curiosity.” This refers to the natural, inborn curiosity that a child has without needing any external reward.
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