Drive-reduction Theory and Motivation

Motivation is a term that inherently linked with the factors that are drive and energizes the human behavior and other organisms. There are many meaningful approaches to motivation and One of them is popular as drive reduction theory. It states that if an individual feel absence of some fundamental biological requirements such as water or food, a drive to acquire that requirement is produced. Also, a drive is a state or arousal that builds up the enough energy to satisfy some need. There are two types of drive:

Primary drive is one of the essential drives that is affiliated to such biological needs of the body.

Secondary drives are the needs that are gained through prior background and learning. There is a basic motivational concept called Homeostasis that is a root of primary drives and helps body to achieve its secure equilibrium state.

In the 1940s and 1950s, drive reduction theory gained popularity as an expression of behavior, understanding and motivation. This theory was first developed by Clarke hull and after few spans of time it developed by Kenneth spence. Hull was the first behaviorist who tried to create this grand theory about various behaviors. He based his theory through the concept called Homeostasis, which is a phenomenon that actively works for the steady internal state of our body according to its biological needs. For example, our body maintains a moderate temperature range and ensures that we don’t become too hot or cold. Hull came up with a suggestion from previous example that the motivation is created as an outcome of these biological requirements.

Hull presented this concept as a term drive, which is bridge between arousal activities and the biological needs. Sleep, Hurst, shelter, safety all can be counted as some examples of drives. Humans and animals always figure out a way to fulfill these biological needs in order to decrease this state of tension. We eat whenever we feel hungry. We drink water.

Whenever we are thirsty. We turn up the heat when it’s cold outside. Hull suggested that humans and animals will continue this procedure that reduces these drives.

It’s a crystal clear that every living organism is motivated by this drive reduction theory. People will find their way to accomplish their desires whether its primary or secondary. Although in today’s cut-throat competitive world human beings are more motivated towards the money making and building their lifestyle more lavish which considered as secondary drive, leads them to become more ambitious and work hard. However, we can say that with this number of illegal actions are also increased into different workplaces. We can take one example here also that if we run a marathon for few hours than our body raised our internal temperature and all the organs of our body will feel exhausted and then to compensate that state of our body we need to drink energy drink or water by which body will fulfill its requirements and achieve steady internal state which can be seen as a homeostasis.