Motivation 101 (Paperback)

What drives people toward their goals? Does motivation come from outside the individual or from within? This is a concise, engaging overview of leading theories and the wide body of research about this core concept in psychology. It draws from a broad spectrum of psychological models and disciplines, and focuses on how various theories of motivation define and examine different motivational attributes, such as rewards and goals. Real life case examples illuminate how various models explain behavior and connect the study of motivation to our daily lives.

An entertaining, affordable alternative to lengthy and expensive texts on the subject, Motivation 101 is unique in helping readers understand how each theory of motivation-behavioral, neurobiological, attribution, and other paradigms--views and defines a particular concept within the model. For example, each modality views the concept of "reward" from a different perspective. Tables within each chapter compare and contrast the thinking of different schools in regard to each construct. The book is also unique in its multidisciplinary focus, whereby research is drawn not only from different domains of psychology but also from such disciplines as education and business. The book considers cultural differences in the study of motivation and collaborative environments, and addresses changing research methodologies. The book concludes with a discussion of how motivation theory is applied in practical contexts to create change in the world. It will be an asset to undergraduate and graduate courses in motivation in psychology, education, and business.

Key Features: Provides a concise, engaging overview of motivation that encompasses leading theories and a broad body of research Compares and contrasts different schools of motivation theories and models including needs-based and cognitively based paradigms Draws from research across a wide range of domains within psychology, education, and business Connects the study of motivation to our daily lives through case examples and metaphors Demonstrates how applying theories of motivation can have tremendous impact on behavior change