Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Unconscious motivations are hidden desires, drives, or impulses that influence our thoughts, feelings, and actions without us being aware of them. They often stem from unresolved conflicts or experiences from early childhood.
Related terms
Freudian Theory: This theory proposed by Sigmund Freud suggests that unconscious motivations play a major role in determining human behavior and personality development.
Defense mechanisms are psychological strategies employed by the ego (part of our personality) to protect ourselves from anxiety caused by unconscious conflicts.
Dream analysis is a technique used in psychoanalysis where therapists interpret dreams to uncover hidden meanings and symbols related to unconscious desires and motivations.