Concerning motivations there are three theories. These three theories
are the psychoanalytic view mainly founded by Sigmund Freud. The humanistic
view partially developed by Carl Rogers. Then there is the diversity view and the
best known representative of the diversity tradition in the study of human
motivation is Henry Murray’s theory of needs, (McAdams, 2009). Of these three theories
I agree with the diversity view the most.
I strongly agree with the diversity view of human motivation,
which posits a large number of different motives or needs, (McAdams, 2009). The
reason I agree with the diversity view is because of Henry Murray’s theory of
needs. The directedness of human lives becomes apparent over time, therefore it
takes more than one situation to understand behavior; and it will be understood
through one’s life through time, (McAdams, 2009). This is how behavior can be
understood as a part of a purposeful sequence of one’s actions. One’s life’s characteristic
direction and purpose is provided by time-binding. Human beings organize their
lives and bind their time because of forces that reside within where physiological
and psychological needs are located and within one’s environment where various
situational constraints and opportunities for need expression or press,
(McAdams, 2009). Through an extended period of time when a certain need
constantly interacts with a certain press forms a thema. According to McAdams,
2009 “therefore, human motivation must be understood in terms of the
interaction of needs and press to produce themas” (p. 280).
I least agree with the psychoanalytic view. According to McAdams,
(2009) “the psychoanalytic view of human motivation suggests that behavior is
ultimately determined by unconscious sexual and aggressive drives and by the
complex intrapsychic conflicts that arise in daily life” (p. 298-299). The main
founder of this theory Sigmund Freud insisted that human beings are not in
control of their own fate and believed that there was another force making the
moves for human beings. This is an issue I strongly disagree with. I believe human
life and human behaviors are not as simple as unforeseen forces which there is
little control over, but more complex.
Through my own life’s experiences, through interactions of other
human beings, and through my limited, but important study and knowledge of
psychology I cannot agree exactly with either of the motivation theories of
psychoanalytic and humanistic views. These two theories share the belief that human
behavior is motivated not by human beings themselves but by forces which humans
have little control over. However I stand firmly behind the diversity view,
which puts forth the common-sense proposition concerning motives and goals,
everybody is different, (McAdams, 2009).
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