What is the motive: the theoretical development of the concept

The theories of motivation have been developed by various scientific schools for a long historical period, and to date, quite a lot of scientific approaches have been formed to explain this phenomenon. A.N. Leont'ev, for example, believed that motive and motivation in psychology represent a whole field of scientific interest, within which questions of abilities, dynamics of mental processes associated with knowledge and their assimilation are explored. Therefore, the answer to the question, what is the motive, he was looking for in his sources - practical activity. This approach in science was called cognitive, where consciousness and knowledge occupy a central place.

Other approaches have explored motivation as a factor of behavioral origin and significance. In particular, Atkinson developed the concept that, in addition to the knowledge aspect proper, the motive was considered as a regulator of behavior, that is, its significance expanded, extending practically to the whole sphere of social relations.

In the most general form, motives can be interpreted as persistent motivations for a person to perform any actions, actions or even conduct a certain way of life. Motivation in this context appears as a dynamic process, which includes the initialization of human behavior, the definition of the direction of this behavior, its explanation to itself and others, organization and activity, that is, the degree of sustainability of activity in accordance with this motive.

Understanding what a motive is is the initial parameter of a characteristic of a person's needs. This manifests its strength, the frequency of manifestation and emergence, methods and ways of realization. Another important value motive as a concept acquires in the study of the purpose of human activity. Here its nature is manifested in the fact that it determines the relevance of the goal and the degree of its realization. The fact is that the motivation of behavior is often manifested as a conscious and unconscious

In order to more systematically imagine what a motive is, and what scientific interpretations have been adopted and formed in science, it is best to show the content of the concepts that have developed in psychology in relation to this problem.

The evolutionary theory of Darwin gave impetus to the study of the psychic nature of man first on the level of instincts. Freud, McDagouall, Pavlov, and others sought to explain many (if not all) forms of human behavior by the action of innate instincts, which they considered to be the main motivational attitudes. Then the limited nature of this interpretation led to the emergence of a behavioral theory (behaviorist).

This direction in psychology was most clearly defined in the writings of Watson, Hull, and Skinner, in which they attempted to explain the motive as deterministic behavior, a stimulus-reactive factor. Bernstein and Anokhin made a significant contribution to the development of this branch of psychology and to find out what the motive is and what its nature is.

In the second half of the last century, a well-known doctrine of the "general consumption society" was formed, one of the theorists of which was W. Maslow. Representatives of this scientific school interpreted the motive as a dynamic phenomenon, evolving in accordance with the evolution of human needs. Such they represented as follows. Needs are formed consistently and accompany the whole life of a person. Their dynamics is the following: first, physiological (hunger, thirst, etc.) needs arise and then, successively, the needs for security, in belonging and love, in respect, in knowledge and skills (cognitive), in self-actualization (realization of one's goals) . In parallel with this process there is a process of development of the motivational sphere of a person, which may be late in relation to needs, or may be ahead of it. This dissonance or harmony, in the final analysis, determines the behavior of a person in society.