Motivation

Definition

Motivation refers to the internal processes that initiate, guide, and maintain goal-oriented behaviors. It plays a critical role in determining how individuals respond to persuasive messages, influencing whether they engage in deep or shallow processing of information. Understanding motivation helps in predicting how likely someone is to change their attitudes or behaviors based on the type of persuasive communication they encounter.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Motivation can be influenced by both intrinsic factors (internal desires) and extrinsic factors (external rewards), shaping how individuals respond to persuasive messages.
2. In the Elaboration Likelihood Model, high motivation leads to central route processing, where individuals carefully consider the content of a message, while low motivation may result in peripheral route processing.
3. When people feel their freedom to choose is threatened, it can trigger psychological reactance, motivating them to resist persuasion and assert their independence.
4. Different motivational states can affect how individuals perceive source credibility; motivated individuals may critically evaluate the source, while less motivated individuals may rely on superficial cues.
5. Understanding motivation is essential for crafting effective persuasive messages, as tailored approaches that resonate with an audience's motivations can lead to greater attitude change.

Review Questions

• How does motivation influence the processing of persuasive messages according to the Elaboration Likelihood Model?
  • Motivation significantly impacts how individuals process persuasive messages within the Elaboration Likelihood Model. When individuals have high motivation, they engage in central route processing, which involves careful analysis and consideration of the message content. This deep level of engagement typically leads to more stable attitude changes. Conversely, when motivation is low, individuals are more likely to resort to peripheral route processing, relying on superficial cues rather than the substance of the message.
• Discuss how psychological reactance relates to motivation in the context of persuasion.
  • Psychological reactance occurs when individuals feel that their freedom to choose is threatened by persuasive attempts. This sensation often motivates them to resist persuasion and assert their independence. When faced with perceived pressure, individuals may be motivated to adopt contrary attitudes or behaviors as a means of restoring their autonomy. Understanding this relationship between reactance and motivation helps communicators anticipate resistance and adjust their strategies accordingly.
• Evaluate the importance of recognizing different motivational states when developing persuasive communication strategies.
  • Recognizing different motivational states is crucial for developing effective persuasive communication strategies. By tailoring messages that align with the specific motivations of an audience—whether intrinsic or extrinsic—persuaders can enhance engagement and increase the likelihood of achieving desired outcomes. For example, appealing to an audience's values and interests can drive deeper processing and foster genuine attitude changes. Conversely, failing to consider motivation can lead to ineffective persuasion efforts that do not resonate with the audience's needs.

Related terms

Cognitive Dissonance: A psychological phenomenon where an individual experiences discomfort due to conflicting beliefs or behaviors, often leading them to change their attitudes to reduce this discomfort.

Involvement: The degree of personal relevance or interest an individual has in a message, which can significantly affect their motivation to process that message.

Persuasion:

The process of influencing someone's beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors through communication, often utilizing various strategies and techniques.