Activation Theory of Motivation

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Activation theory of motivation: Every person has his/her own level of motivation and this level varies from time to time and activities to activities. For example, people might be active at work place on Monday but they would be lazy and inactive at the end on the week. Similarly, some people may be very active while working on computer but comparatively inactive during group discussions on job. The optimum level of activation differs from person to person (Prentiss, n.d.). ‘Activation Theory’, also termed as ‘Arousal Theory’ explains how an individual’s psychological activation is essential for his efficient performance without which he would fail to work with concentration (Berlyne, 1949). According to Berlyne (1949), lack of activation among people may be due to: * Low level of attentiveness * Tediousness of senses * Only some degree of muscular coordination An individual would not feel motivated if he is not paying much attention due to lack of interest in the activity. He might feel bored and sleepy and would avoid movement which would further make him lethargic. In order to stay active he needs to be stimulated by: * Newness in the tasks * Difficulty and challenge in the task * Differentiation in activities * Uncertainty in task environment However, if a person lacks activation, his motivation level would drop and hence performance would be disturbed. He would work half-heartedly and will lack enthusiasm. This will increase the chance of mistakes in the job, slower completion of job assignments or inefficient performance. Therefore, to keep the employees motivated during work, the job activities should be varied, interesting and must align with the individual goals of the employee. This will enhance the overall employee performance and hence organization would be benefitted. References: * Prentiss, B. (n.d.). Arousal
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