motivation

[rooparoopa]

After conducting studies involving more than 6,000 people, Reiss has found that 16 basic desires guide nearly all meaningful behavior. The desires are:
power, independence, curiosity, acceptance, order, saving, honor, idealism, social contact, family, status, vengeance, romance, eating, physical exercise, and tranquility.

Which motivate you?

Comments

[verdanthe]

I'm primarily motivated by 'wonder', the sense of contact with the divine that comes from feeling or sensing something delightful. That doesn't seem to fall into any of those categories. They lump "Aesthetic experiences" into "Romance", which sort of makes sense. However, all of their discussion of that category is about the pursuit of sex, which is very much not in my motivational structure, so I can't see how thinking about the behavior of others that would claim that same category as important would be useful to me.
It's not exactly "Tranquility" either (although that sounds good too), I commonly undergo anxiety, fear, or pain, to perceive something wonderful.
It's not exactly "Curiosity" either, although figuring something out can be wonderful, if it's a beautiful thing. I guess I'm not particularly motivated to figure out or learn about things I don't consider amazing in some way.
Where does Glory fit in?
Even in all his work about religion and God and these factors, he seems to entirely miss that concept.

[verdanthe]

Also lumping "fun/pleasure" with "social contact" seems a little strange. Aren't there people who go to amusement parks and watch movies alone?

[narbulwinj]

It's sort of an interesting first try - but I'm with you that the 16 basic desires are a little oddly chosen. I mean, I am very motivated to do physical exercise but that is because it has such a positive impact on my brain chemistry. So yeah, where's the being motivated by positive feelings.

It also seems questionable to study adults and then postulate that children will have the same motivations. I was extremely motivated fear as a child and learned early on that curiousity was bad. However, as an adult I actually am motivated by curiousity.

[verdanthe]

I think the idea is that these factors are what give you good feelings, which differs from individual to individual. For some people, exercise doesn't feels as good as it does for others.
I totally agree that there doesn't seem to be any support for assuming that priorities don't change with time. What about people that think they want kids, but then don't prioritize them once they do? (same for people who have kids by accident, then find them a very important motivation).
It also seems like there could be compression - do you want kids because you want others to think well of you, or because your parents did, or because they'll take care of you?

[narbulwinj]

I am motivated by

[niralth]

Mm. Given those I'd say that Independence is my biggest motivating desire. Eating is near the top of the stack too... :)