Psychology of Motivation

In psychology, motivation refers to the initiation, direction, intensity and persistence of behaviour.

Motivation is a temporal and dynamic state that should not be confused with personality or emotion.

Motivation is having the desire and willingness to do something.

A motivated person can be reaching for a long-term goal such as becoming a professional writer or a more short-term goal like learning how to spell a particular word.

Personality invariably refers to more or less permanent characteristics of an individual's state of being (eg: shy, extrovert, conscientious).

As opposed to motivation, emotion refers to temporal states that do not immediately link to behaviour (e.g., anger, grief, happiness).

This book presents that latest research in this field.