Motivation

Motivation and emotion help guide our behavior. Both motives and emotions move us toward some action. Motivation is the urge to move toward specific goals. Motivation explains why we act the way that we do. Motives are specific inner needs or wants that arouse an organism and direct its behavior toward a goal. Motives can be divided into three categories:

  1. basic biological motives necessary for survival,
  2. social motives such as physical and psychological needs, and
  3. curiosity.

 Emotions are experiences of feelings such as fear, joy, or surprise, which also underlie behavior.


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