The arousal theory of motivation is a theory that describes the way in which people are motivated to action. This theory is divided into two categories: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation refers to the desire to engage in an activity for its own sake and without external rewards or compensation. For example, you may choose to learn a new skill for the enjoyment of learning it rather than for any external reward, like money.
Extrinsic motivation refers to the desire to engage in an activity in order to acquire an external reward or compensation. For example, you may choose to learn a new skill in order to get a raise at your job or be more successful at your job.
This article will discuss how the arousal theory of motivation can explain why some people do not respond well to rewards and incentives, and how this relates back to achievement-orientation and over-arousal.
The role of arousal in behavior
Arousal has a strong role in our everyday behavior. More specifically, the level of excitement or agitated feeling in a person has a huge influence on what they do next.
There are two main theories that explain the arousal effect. The first is the incentive theory, which states that heightened emotions prompt us to act quickly in response to a stimulus.
The second theory is the oscillation theory, which claims that there is an emotional pendulum that swings between extremes and prompts action.
Both of these theories point to one thing: When we are emotionally aroused, we have a strong motivation to take action. This can be negative action if the stimulus is negative, but it can be positive action if the stimulus is positive.
A person can be emotionally aroused by anything, whether it’s something they think about or something that happens to them.
How motivation works
Arousal theory states that there are two primary factors that motivate behavior:
arousal, or the amount of energy or effort you put into something; and
valence, or the value or cost associated with a given reward.
Arousal theory breaks down motivation into three components: incentive, investment, and effort. Incentive is related to arousal, investment is related to valuation, and effort is related to expenditure. All three must be in balance in order for motivation to work.
In other words, there has to be some excitement about what you’re doing, some investment in doing it, and you have to put out some effort. All of these components have to be present in order for someone to feel motivated. None of them can be absent.
Understanding the aversive effects of punishment
Arousal theory is a theory of motivation that says we do things because they make us feel excited. This does not mean that we do things because they give us a thrill, but rather that we do things because they make us feel excited about ourselves.
Arousal theory is based on the idea that people have needs for self-esteem and self-confidence, and that we seek to meet these needs by doing things that make us feel good about ourselves.
For example, if I need to feel confident about myself, then I might seek opportunities to succeed, because success makes me feel good about myself.
Arousal theory explains why punishment is so ineffective. When people do something wrong, and you punish them, it doesn’t make them feel good about themselves.
Understanding the role of reward
A second theory of motivation is the arousal theory. This theory states that people work to regulate their internal states. People seek to lower arousal or activity or seek excitement in order to feel satisfied.
Arousal can be described as the energy level or expenditure required to perform a particular task. For example, running requires higher energy levels and expenditure than sitting does.
According to this theory, people don’t work simply because they want some reward, but because the reward increases their arousal. A reward reduces the lack of arousal or stimulation and increases it.
Both the expectancy and value theories state that people work for a reward because they value the reward more than the work itself. However, the arousal theory states that people work because of the way in which it increases their arousal level.
Applying the theory to other behaviors
The Arousal Theory of Motivation can be applied to any behavior. You can apply it to eating healthily, working harder, studying longer, or anything in between.
Because the theory states that we act in order to feel a certain level of arousal, you can try to lower that level by providing your body and mind with what it needs in terms of energy.
For example, if you are hungry then give your body food and drink and you will feel less need to act. If you are tired then get enough sleep and you will feel more energy the next day.
This is why nutritionists tell people to eat a healthy breakfast: because eating food energizes the body so that you will be more likely to act on your impulses.
Similarly, studying late into the night may make you feel more exhausted, which makes you less likely to work on other projects that may be less important.
Implications for psychology and practice
The arousal theory of motivation would be most useful for understanding the aversive effects of rewards. When people are told that they will receive a reward for doing something, they may work harder in anticipation of the reward, but only if they are already motivated to do the task.
Rewards can actually decrease someone’s intrinsic motivation to do a task, and can ultimately lead to lower quality work. This is because when people are highly motivated to complete a task, or when they have what Festinger called an “incentive value”, then the expectation of a reward subtracts from this intrinsic incentive value.
When someone is already intrinsically motivated to do something, adding the expectation of a reward may increase effort for a time, but eventually the reward will no longer motivate them. This is because rewards reduce what psychologists call “instrumental autonomy” – in other words, our autonomy based on internal incentives.
Possible extensions and revisions to the theory
Several extensions and revisions to the theory have been suggested by other researchers. One suggestion is to include social factors as a motivation factor alongside self-focused and world-focused factors.
Another suggestion is to include altruism as a motivator alongside achievement and security. Altruism is the desire to help others, and altruistic motivation may be more powerful than the other types of motivation in this theory.
This comes from the idea that all human beings have a fundamental need to feel valued. When you do something that enhances someone else’s worth, they will feel better, and they will appreciate you for it. This appreciation will make you feel more valuable as a person, which will motivate you to do more things that enhance others’ worth.
Conclusions about the theory
All in all, the arousal theory of motivation would be most useful for understanding the aversive effects of money. A person’s overall level of motivation is determined by their level of arousal.
If a person is motivated, then they are aroused enough to act. If they are not motivated, then they are not aroused enough to act.
A person’s level of arousal can be influenced by many things, and one of those things is money. The more money someone makes, the more comfortable they are likely to be and the less motivated they are likely to be.
The presence or absence of money can have a negative effect on someone’s motivation, but it can also have a positive effect on someone’s motivation. If someone feels like they have reached their goal, then giving them more money may make them less motivated because it does not affect their level of arousal.
