Compare and Contrast the Instinct Theory and the Self-Determination Theory

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The Answer is One of the earliest views on motivation was heavily influenced by the work of Charles Darwin and the theory of natural selection. Back in the 1800s, American psychologist William James proposed that motives are, in fact, genetically determined instincts that have evolved in humans because they support survival and procreation. According to James, instincts are impulses from within a person that direct or motivate that person's behavior. James proposed that we are motivated by more than 35 different innate instincts, including the impulse to love, fight, imitate, talk, and acquire things.
The idea that humans are motivated by different things is part of a broad theory of motivation called self-determination theory. According to self-determination theory, humans need to feel competent (skilled), autonomous (in control of our own behavior), and related (or connected) to others. As we try to meet these needs, we will at times experience autonomous motivation or controlled motivation. When we are autonomously motivated, we are self-motivated to engage in a behavior. For example, you might study for an exam because you want to do well on it. When we experience controlled motivation, we feel more compelled to engage in certain behaviors. For example, you may study for an exam because you want to please your parents or because you feel that you should work hard in school.

Compare and Contrast the Instinct Theory and the Self-Determination Theory

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