In psychology, a motive is something that causes us to act or behave in order to reach a goal or desired endpoint. It is the driving force behind our actions and the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal. Motivation is the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. Psychologists have divided motives into three types: biological, social, and personal motives. Biological motives are essential for the survival of the organism and are triggered when there is an imbalance in the body. Social motives are specific only to human beings and are learned in social groups as a result of interaction with the family and society. Personal motives are highly personalized and individualized motives.

Motives are internal experiences in the form of needs, cognitions, and emotions and are the direct and proximal causes of motivated action. Social contexts and external events act as antecedents to motives that cause or trigger motivational states. Our motives express themselves through behavior, engagement, psychophysiology, brain activations, and self-report. Psychological needs are also significant drivers of motives as they represent inborn needs for the development of a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Motivation is a dynamic process, and our motives vary over time. Our decisions and behaviors are often the result of a goal or motive we possess. Underlying all of these goals is motivation, or the psychological driving force that enables action in the pursuit of that goal. Motivation can stem from two places: it can come from the benefits associated with the process of pursuing a goal (intrinsic motivation) or from external rewards (extrinsic motivation). Social psychologists recognize that goal pursuit and the motivations that underlie it do not depend solely on an individual’s personality but are products of personal characteristics and situational factors.