Towards a New Theory of Behaviour / לקראת תיאוריה חדשה של התנהגות ציפייתית ומונעת: ניתוח ופיתוח בהמשך ל'הנעה ללימודים ואישיות התלמיד' של לאה אדר

• Published in: מגמות 1973-09, Vol.י"ט (4), p.398-412
• Main Authors: אמיתי, אברהם, Amitay, Avraham
• Format: Article
• Language: Hebrew
• ISSN: 0025-8679

Motivated behaviour can be considered a function of both need value (composed of a motive and reinforcement) and expectancy. The individual's motivated behaviour is influenced by his expectancies. Motivated behaviour in general, and particularly motivation for learning, is especially influenced by Laws of Control expectancy. This expectancy is the perception of the relation between one's actions and subsequent reinforcements; seeing them as dependent upon one's actions or upon external factors. Based upon Maslow's conception of hierarchy of motives, a distinction is here suggested between: (a) External motives whose aims and reinforcements are anchored outside of the object or the process of action. Action is in fact directed towards the self which is "strengthened" by external reinforcement. (b) Internal motives whose reinforcement is internal and activity is both task and object oriented. In general, the influence of internal motives differs from that of external motives in stimuli perception and response. Internal motives lead to openness towards and interest in environment and task, and to flexible and adaptable response; whereas external motives "protect" a vulnerable self by defensiveness and perceptual distortion accompanied by stereotyped and rigid responses. Consequently, a distinction is here suggested between monotonic relation of internal motivation and complex performances (such as sizable proportion of school learning) while their relation to external motivation is curvilinear. It seems that our hypothesis explains some incongruities in theoretical and research literature and opens new horizons for solving some questions in dispute such as the relation between T.A.T. measures of motivation and behaviour. The scaling of motives along a continuum: from external to internal, helps, apparently, to clarify some dilemmas of classification of aspects of motivation. Adar, for example, has great difficulties in discussion the motivational fields of achievement and affiliation. A distinction which has to be made is between the "achievement motive" and "achievement value". The first is internal and directed towards the object and to high standards of performance whereas "value of achievement" is directed towards gaining social approval. We may distinguish as well between a real and internal affiliation motive which is based upon full and open interest in the other and between "external" affiliation whose essence is dependence upon the other and furnishi