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6.3: Positive and Negative Motivation

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    Positive and Negative Motivation

    You've probably heard the analogy of the carrot and the stick. This comes from the idea that a horse will walk towards a carrot (a reward) but will walk away from a stick (which can be used for punishment). The carrot is an example of positive motivation: we are motivated by the idea of getting something positive. These positives can be external rewards, such as a bonus, a promotion, or inclusion in a group. Rewards can also be internal, such as the a feeling of accomplishment, the satisfaction of a job well done, or just plain feeling good. The stick is an example of negative motivation: we are motivated by the idea of avoiding or removing a punishment or something unpleasant. Again, the negative motivator can be external, such as an actual physical punishment, a lower grade, a fine, or exclusion from a group. Negative motivators can also be internal, such as feeling like a failure or feelings of remorse or regret. We tend to avoid negative things! As we learned in math, the subtraction of a negative is a positive.

    • Motivation Math:
      • The addition of a positive is a positive (financial rewards, praise, feeling of accomplishment, etc.)
      • The subtraction of a negative is a positive (removal of a chore, avoiding a fine, avoiding unpleasant feelings, etc.)
      • The addition of a negative is a negative (paying a fine, receiving a punishment, etc.)
      • The subtraction of a positive is a negative (losing privileges, losing face, demotion, etc.)

    Effective persuaders present messages in such a way as to motivate people to pursue positives and/or avoid negatives. Elsewhere in this text, gain-framed and loss-framed messages are discussed as persuasive strategies. Gain-framed messages are positive motivational math: they focus on attaining a desirable outcome or avoiding an undesirable outcome. Loss-framed messages are negative motivational math; they focus on acquiring something undesirable or losing something desirable.

    When it comes to emotional states, we tend to gravitate towards positive emotions that lead to good feeling, such as humor, hope, and warmth; and avoid negative emotions that lead to bad feeling or anxiousness, such as fear, pity, and guilt.

    This page titled 6.3: Positive and Negative Motivation is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by .