List and describe the five extrinsic factors in Hunter's theory of motivation - Essay Example

Q. List and describe the five extrinsic factors in Hunter's theory of motivation. A. Madeline Hunter, an educator from of California, LosAngeles, developed a theory of motivation known as “intrinsic/extrinsic theory” (“Motivation,” par.49). Hunter believed that there are two aspects of motivation that work in human beings, i.e. the intrinsic, or internal, and the extrinsic, or external (“Motivation,” para.49). Without motivation, human beings do not work to their full potential. This fact applies to education also.

Hunter knew that “no one can make a child learn” (“Relationships,” par.1). However, she believed that “circumstances in the environment can be arranged so that a child will be encouraged to do something that will result in learning” (“Relationships,” par.1). Hunter knew that there is an inseparable link between motivation and learning, and that learning environment influences the motivation factor and performance level to a great extent (“Relationships,” par. 2). According to Hunter, direct manipulation of the intrinsic motivation of person is not possible (“Motivation.” Par. 49).

Hence, it is only by influencing and manipulating the nature of extrinsic factors that a person can be motivated (“Motivation,” par. 49). These beliefs led Madeline Hunter to develop the theory of intrinsic/extrinsic motivation. In her theory of motivation, Hunter has listed five extrinsic factors of motivation. According to her, these five external factors can be manipulated in order to motivate a person to perform better and attain his goals. The five extrinsic factors are discussed below. 1. Level of Concern The first extrinsic factor of motivation listed by Hunter is the ‘level of concern.

’ By ‘level of concern’, she meant the ‘accountability’ of certain task or action (“Motivation” par. 50). According to Hunter, people feel concerned about the task for which they are held responsible (“Motivation,” par. 50). The accountability motivates them to act on their concern and complete the task successfully (“Motivation,” par. 50). The responsibility of the task makes people to work on the task with concentrated efforts and with mature attitude. However, if seniors do not give responsibility to subordinates, then even the subordinates do not feel accountable and end up doing the tasks half heartedly (“Motivation,” par. 50).This scenario applies to classroom learning also.

For example, children are motivated to learn particular material only when they are instructed by teachers that particular material will be used for test (“Motivation.” Par. 50). This means that children get motivated to learn material only when they are ‘expected’ to get good grades and are held accountable for learning certain material (“Motivation,” par. 50). This shows that by increasing the level of concern regarding certain task and making people feel responsible for the successful completion of that task, they can be motivated to perform well in that task. 2. Feedback The second extrinsic factor listed by Hunter is ‘feedback.

’ According to Hunter, a timely and accurate feedback can motivate a person to a great extent (“Motivation,” par. 51). Hunter says that a person is motivated to keep doing a task if he knows how well he is doing that task (“Motivation,” par. 51). However, a person will not be motivated to continue in his task if he has no idea of how he is performing in the task (“Motivation,” par. 51). People lose interest in the task if they are not told how they are doing. For example, scores in games motivate the players to continue playing as scores tell them how well they are playing (“Motivation,” par. 51). Regular performance reviews, opposed to only annual reviews, motivate students to study (“Motivation,” par. 51). Hence, the quality and quantity of feedback can be manipulated to motivate people to perform. 3. Success Success, which is connected to feedback, is the third extrinsic factor of motivation (“Motivation,” par. 52). According to Hunter, people are motivated to continue doing a task when they know that they are successful at that task (“Motivation,” par. 52). Hence, feedback is connected to this factor as it is the feedback that tells people whether they are successful or not.

People are not motivated to do something at which they are not good at, or cannot gain success in it (“Motivation,” par. 52). 4. Interest ‘Interest’ is the fourth extrinsic factor of motivation. People are motivated to do a job which they find interesting (“Motivation,” par. 53). External factors like social contacts at work, fun work environment and learning experience through work challenges, can be utilized to maintain people’s interest in work and keep them motivated (“Motivation,” par. 53). 5.

‘Feeling tone’ Feeling tone is the fifth extrinsic factor in Hunter’s theory (“Motivation,” par. 54). ‘Feeling tone’ is the way in which superiors communicate with their subordinates (“Motivation,” par. 54). According to Hunter, positive, negative and neutral are the three types of feeling tones (“Motivation,” par. 54). The positive feeling tone is the most effective tone to motivate people to do their tasks as it involves pleasantness and respect for people (“Motivation,” par. 54). The negative tone is motivating but not as effective as positive tone as it involves commanding and unpleasant tone, and hence, motivates through fear (“Motivation,” par. 54). The neutral tone is neither positive nor negative and hence, it neither motivates nor de-motivates people (“Motivation,” par. 54). In this way, Madeline Hunter has listed and described the five extrinsic factors of motivation that can be modified or manipulated to motivate people to perform to their best.

Works Cited “Motivation.” COD. College of DuPage, n.d. Web. 12 Sep.2012. “Relationships (Human Motivation Theory).” aea267. Area Education Agency 267, n.d. Web. 12 Sep.2012.