Discuss Motivation For Socially Destructive Behavior Using One Theoretical Perspective of Motivation.

Discuss Motivation For Socially Destructive Behavior Using One Theoretical Perspective of Motivation. Abstract When I observed the psychology, I could find that there is a very close connection between psychological motivation and behavior. Various psychologists have presented various theoretical perspectives on motivation. Here, in this assignment, I have taken an effort to present a brief account of socially destructive behavior using most famous theoretical perspectives of motivation; psychoanalysis. Discuss Motivation for Socially Destructive Behavior Using One Theoretical Perspective of Motivation. It is true that the society and the human being are well connected. For the survival of both two parties there should be a well developed connection and that connection should be good for both sides. But, if we thoroughly observe the present society, we can see that this connection has fallen down and the socially destructive behavior of human beings greatly affect on the society. In the present society, socially destructive behavior is increasing and if we thoroughly observe those behaviors and psychology comparatively, we can find what and how motives lead a person to behave in a socially destructive action. Actually, as everyone accepts behavior and motivation has a good connection. According to psychologists, there should be some kind of motivation for any kind of behavior. In psychology, we can find three types of perspectives of motivation. They are: 01. Biological perspective of motivation. 02. Learning perspective of motivation. 03. Psychological perspective of motivation. Under psychological perspective of motivation we come across three types of sub- perspectives of motivation. It includes: * Psychoanalytic perspective of motivation * Cognitive perspective of motivation * Humanistic perspective of motivation The psychologists have presented various opinions, ideas and details under each and every perspective of motivation. For an instance, if we take learning perspective of motivation it talks about how behavior and learning perspective of motivation is well linked, how learning perspective of motivation affects on behavior etc. Actually, though it is able to describe the socially destructive behavior using each and every perspective of motivation, psychoanalytic perspective of motivation is very important when considering our topic. The psychoanalytic theory is which was presented by the great psychologist Sigmund Freud, clearly describes the socially destructive behavior. Actually, it is very important to know briefly about the psychoanalytic theory before entering directly to our topic as the psychoanalytic theory here plays a very important place. Actually, the psychoanalysis is not just a school like behaviorism and structuralism. Certainly, there is a big difference between psychoanalysis and other schools of thought. As D. P. Schultz and S. E. Schultz (2004) describe that the psychoanalysis was neither a product of the universities nor a pure science but, arose within the traditions of medicine and psychiatry, from attempts to treat persons labeled by society as mentally ill. Thus, psychoanalysis was not (and still not) as schools of thoughts directly comparable with the thoughts we have studied (p. 392). In psychoanalysis, Freud has talked about drive or instincts and psychodynamics of behavior. He has said that the thoughts and feelings which a human being is aware of at a given moment are part of the conscious mind. According to him consciousness consists of a passing parade of ideas and emotions. Below the consciousness there is sub-consciousness. Freud has divided it into two categories; the pre-consciousness and unconsciousness. The pre-consciousness contains the thoughts, memories and emotions which people are not presently aware of, but which can be brought into the conscious mind by deliberate choice. As Freud has described the much larger unconsciousness contains all the conscious awareness by the consciousness. But, he also says that the contents of unconsciousness sometimes leak out in fragments and these contents can cause pathology (`Anderson). In psychoanalysis, the unconsciousness holds a very important place. This unconsciousness thoroughly affects on behavior. That behavior may be right or wrong. Actually, “…. for Freud, the unconsciousness was a powerful concept, and a powerful force in behavior (Hergenhahu). According to Freud, our wicked thoughts, in short our devil lives in Id of the unconsciousness. In psychoanalysis, Freud has talked about drives or instincts and psychodynamics of behavior. He has said that our biological drives or instincts greatly affect on the behavior. As Hergennhahu describes for Freud all aspects of the human personality derived from biological instinct (p. 29). Freud has described that humans like other animals continually seek pleasure and avoid pain. When our bodily needs are satisfied one experiences pleasure. When one or more needs are not satisfied one experiences discomfort. This main motive for humans is to obtain the steady state that one experiences when one’s biological needs are satisfied (Hergennhahu). At first, Freud thought that motivation can be described in terms of pleasure principle. He said that sexuality is the most powerful central force behavior in behavior. But later, when he wrote “Beyond the pleasure principle” in 1920, he had to accept that sexuality alone could not affect on the behavior. According to Freud an instinct has four characteristics. ♦ A source which is a bodily deficiency of some kind. ♦ An aim which is to remove the bodily deficiency thereby re-establishing an internal balance. ♦ An object which is those experiences or objects that reduce or remove the bodily deficiency. ♦ An impetus which is determined by the magnitude of the bodily deficiency. In psychoanalysis, Freud has discussed about two types of instincts: life and death instincts. All the instincts associated with the preservation of the life are called the “life instincts” and psychic energy associated with them collectively is called the libido. Drives like sex, hunger and thirsty etc can be called “life instincts.” He also called life instincts as Eros. Thanotos which is the death instinct motivates a person to return to the inorganic state of that preceded life. Freud’s famous saying was “the aim of all life is death.”(Broeclc). To Freud, the most important death instinct is aggression. Cruelty, suiciding, murder etc derive from death instinct according to him. When considering human behavior, Freud’s teaching of psychodynamic model of personality is very important. “Much as his analysis of the structure of consciousness, Freud conceived of personality in terms of a three-part structure, id, ego, and super ego (Bindra). In the book “The Ego and the Id” in 1923 Freud has clearly described about those three structures. There Freud has described that Id is the source of all basic drives. The id lacks any sort of conception of reality and fantasy. The id has two means of satisfying bodily needs, reflex action and wish fulfillment. Reflex action normally responds automatically to a source of irritation. Wish fulfillment is somewhat complicated. Actually, in any case wish fulfillment can never satisfy a bodily need except on a temporary base. The great psychologist Hull describes the opinion of Freud on Id thus. “Freud speaks of the id as being the true psychic reality. By this he means the id is the primary subjective reality, the inner world that exists before the individual has experience of the external world. Not only are the instincts and reflexes inborn, but the images that are produced by tension states may also be innate. This means that a hungry baby can have an image of food without having to learn to associate food with hunger. Freud believed that experiences that are repeated with great frequency and intensity in many individuals of successive generations become permanent deposits in the id” (p. 18). The super ego which is governed by moral constraints normally opposed the demand of id and in short, it can be said that the super ego is the conscience of a human being. As Anthony (1986) describes super ego represents the normal demands of family and society as opposed the desire of id for immediate gratification (p. 80). As id and super ego try to direct the behavior in different ways, Freud said that they are always in a conflict situation. Freud said that super ego has two divisions called conscience and ego ideal. The ego which mediates between id and super ego holds a very important place in personality. Actually ego is also linked with the outside of the world. Ego provides the sense of self which is central to personality yet, it must also cope with the demands of id, super ego and external world. As ego must contend with the constraints imposed by the real world, it is described as governed by the reality principle. Actually, ego is capable of rational thinking and Freud has called it as secondary process thinking. When considering the human behavior and personality, Freud’s teaching on psychosexual development is very important. According to Freud there are five stages that a human being has to face. In the oral stage the focus of gratification is on mouth. During the early oral stage pleasure comes mainly from the mouth, lips and tongue through the activities of sucking and swallowing. In anal stage the erogenous zone is the anus-buttocks region. It is in this stage children are toiled trained. In the third stage, phallic stage the Oedipus complex and Electra complex occur in boys and girls respectively. In the latency stage libidinal energy is sublimated and in genital stage the puberty starts. In psychosexual stages of development, Freud has presented many ideas. In the same way, when considering our topic, Freud’s defense mechanisms also take a major place. When considering the psychoanalysis Anna Freud, Melanie Klein, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, Karen Horney are also very important as they also held a view some what similar to Freud. Actually, when considering the socially destructive behavior, Freud’s psychoanalytic theory is very important. A socially destructive behavior can be simply define as any kind of harmful action that threatens the well being of the society. The psychoanalytic perspective of motivation which comes in psychoanalysis has clearly described the socially destructive behavior. We are human beings. Though we have a higher mind than animal there are a lot of evil thoughts in our mind. Naturally, we all have defilements in our mind. We are not saints or divine messengers or Arahants that always do only good things. Generally psychoanalysis also accepts it. Normally, human beings like to do bad things than good. It is a natural state of every human being and as I think it is not a fault or a bad thing. Our minds like to do bad or wrong things if there is a suitable time, place and occasion. That may be a socially destructive behavior or any other kind of wrong behavior. Actually, though there are some shortcomings in psychoanalytic perspective of motivation, in psychoanalytic perspective of motivation the socially destructive behavior is finely explained. The reasons, results, motives for socially destructive behavior are clearly explained in psychoanalytic perspective of motivation. Let us consider some kind of socially destructive behaviors. Killing, stealing, engaging in unlawful sexual intercourses, lying, taking intoxicants, slandering, joking with the intention of hurting others, not respecting elders, suiciding, destruction of public property (cutting a seat of a public bus) etc are only a few of socially destructive behaviors. Violation of social ethics is one of the considerable socially destructive behaviors. Social ethics are very important for the survival and wellbeing of the society. When considering the social ethics culture and religious ethics are very important. Actually, what and how people are motivated to engage in those socially destructive behaviors, what are the motives that lead to do such a destructive behavior. It is well explained in the psychoanalytic perspective of motivation. People engage in violation of social ethics mainly for getting pleasure and they only want to satisfy their needs. If we take a boy who destroys a seat of a public bus when he travels, what motives lead him to do that action? As psychoanalytic perspective of motivation explains our mind naturally has very evil thoughts and every time it seeks the pleasure. Normally, mind (id) seeks only the pleasure and it does not care about what is wrong and what is right. It only needs to gain the pleasure in anyway. So, when that boy get a chance to cut the seat of the public bus, the id directs or motivates him to do such a destructive behavior. If there is no chance to do such an action he would not do it considering the other factors. About a month earlier, some university students had gone to the university grants commission to meet the minister of higher education. However, the minister was not there at the time. At that time they had protested against the government and asked for their demands. At the end of the protest, there had been a fight between the police and the university students. It is said that the university students destroyed the public property and behaved like inhumanly. How did they behave in such a socially destructive behavior? What motives had led them to do such an action? The psychoanalytic perspective of motivation describes this case thus. The university students wanted to gain their demands and they wanted to get them somehow. When their demands are not given, they became angry. It is a natural thing. If we do not get what we want, there arises frustration and to cease it we direct our behavior in another way. By talking about “displacement’’ one of defense mechanisms, Freud has talked about this. Actually, dress what we wear have a great affect on the society. Normally, we dress to cover at least our sex organs. Though dresses differ from culture to culture, society to society, religion to religion every society accepts the need of a dress. But if we consider the present younger generation especially girls we can see that they like to wear dresses that display most of their bodily parts (This is a very bad socially destructive behavior and it certainly affects to values of the society very badly. But some can argue about this pointing out modern fashion). Though the adults express unsatisfactory various ideas and opinions about their dressing, they do not stop that. Actually, if we see about this by the psychoanalytic perspective of motivation we can clearly understand what motivation has led them to behave in such a way. As psychoanalytic perspective of motivation explains the sexuality is a very important life instinct. In life instincts as well as in Oedipus complex and Electra complex, Freud has clearly pointed out the power of sexual motivation. Normally, human beings like to take the attention of the other people. Girls know this very well and they motivate to do such a behavior. Boys also like to look at those girls than other girls as they also sexually attracted to them. Thus both girls and boys get the pleasure. So this behavior continues. Actually, thus the psychoanalytic perspective of motivation has clearly described the power of sexuality for socially destructive behavior. In the same way, today in the present society a lot of socially destructive behaviors are increasing because of taking intoxicants. Raping, killing, suciding, destroying other’s property are done mostly because of taking intoxicants. Engaging in unlawful sexual activities is also another socially destructive behavior. Though various cultures, societies, religious and even there are limitations from the law, people engage in that activity. Freud talking about sexuality has talked about this behavior. People do anything to gain the sexual pleasure without considering other circumstances. There are many socially destructive behaviors are increasing in the world today. Actually, when we thoroughly observe all those cases we can see that all most all those activities have been done mainly for the pleasure of those wrong doers. When we watch and listen to some programs of the TV and the radio like “Angili Salakuna (finger print), Yeheli, Kana Mediri Rattriya, Hate Kanisama” etc which show socially destructive behaviors of the various people, we can clearly understand this. According to the psychoanalytic perspective of motivation when people are motivated to engage in a socially destructive behavior people try to do it any way and the people’s dignity, social state, education state etc are not obstacles for the people who engage in those socially destructive behaviors. Above mentioned TV and radio programs also clearly show it. Thus, we can come to a conclusion that socially destructive behaviors are done by people mainly for getting the pleasure and the motivation for socially destructive behaviors continues till the death or huge punishment come to them. Conclusion When we consider the above mentioned facts it is clear that socially destructive behaviors have a very close connection with the motivation. By using the psychoanalytic perspective of motivation we can clearly and finely describe the motivation for socially destructive behavior as psychoanalysis actually talks about the real and natural states of the human mind. So this psychoanalytic perspective of motivation has become a very important perspective of motivation among the other perspectives of motivatio References Anderson J. E., (1950). The psychology of development and personal adjustment. New York: Henry Holt Company. Bindra, D., (1959). Motivation: a systematic reinterpretation. New York: The Ronald Press Company. Diane, E., Papalia & Wendkos, S., (1978). Human development. USA: Library of Congress. Freud, S., (1929). Introductory lectures on psychoanalysis. Great Britain: Unwin Brothers. Freud. (2008, March 3). Retrieved September 11, 2010, from PsychWiki: http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/ Freud. Hergenhahu, B. R., (1980). An introduction to theories of personality (4th ed.). Prentile- Hall, Inc. Jones, E. & Flugel. J. C., (1950). The psychoanalytic study of the family. (8th ed.) London: The Hogarth Press Ltd. Lorand, S., (1939). Psychoanalysis Today. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd. Psychoanalysis. (2009, February 5). Retrieved October 11, 2010, from PsychWiki: http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/ Psychoanalysis. Rathus, S. A.,(2004). Psychology: Concepts and connections (7th ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth and Thomson Learning. Schultz, D. P.,& Schultz S.E., (2004). A history of modern psychology. (8th ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth and Thomson Learning.