Developmental Motivations

Posted by Ken Fields on November 18, 2009 at 9:48 pm.

What motivates you?  What motivates your friends, your companions? (Remember from a previous past that “socio” means “companions.”). What motivates a society? A nation? Or a collection of nations, that makes of a human world? What is “motive?”

Motivations are energies that animate the psyche, which animates the bio, the body. Psyche motivations also animate the society at large, the socio being  made up of individual persons, each of whom is both bio and psyche.  And, the collection of “companions” that make up a society(or neighborhood),  the group, the mob…..has a mind of its own.

Fundamental motivations are word labeled “pleasure” … and “pain” and “reward” / “punishment.” But, what those words mean are not absolute fixed realities. As paradosical as it may sound, one person’s pain may be another’s pleasure, while for some punishment is a reward. The psyche logic can be quite silly at times.

Higher motivations have to do with Outcomes. End results. The path to an end result may indeed contain pain the pleasure being willingly delayed.

Developmental outcomes are the results of need satisfaction at any given stage. To the degree we have met our needs, we are healthy, well balanced, feel good….relatively happy, much of the time. The malaise millions feel, even if periodically, can be related to the lack of need satisfaction.  Developmental needs, and the outcomes from their satisfaction, or obstruction,  can be categorized into generally positive and negative. The end result of our developmental tasks can be broadly stroked with single word labels.

Stage

Developmental Needs

Developmental Tasks

Developmental Paths

Positive Outcomes

Negative Outcomes

7

Beauty

Integrity

Synthesis

Acceptance

Denial

6

Knowledge

Generativity

Giving

Service

Boredom

5

Belonging

Intimacy

Engagement

Connection

Alienation

4

Esteem

Identity

Exploration

Individuality

Conformity

3

Control

Competence

Achievements

Industriousness

Shame

2

Safety

Autonomy

Opposition

Independence

Guilt

1

Sustenance

Trust

Receiving

Faith

Doubt

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