According to Rheinberg (2002), motivation is an activating orientation of the current way of life based on a positively valued target state. In other words, you do something because you hope it will have positive consequences in the short or long term. In science, a distinction is made between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation comes from yourself, you do the action for its own sake (e.g. if you cook something delicious just because you feel like it).
It would be nice if intrinsic motivation always worked like this. But unfortunately, most of the things we do in our lives are extrinsically motivated. You receive motivational stimuli from outside, such as money, status, good grades, or generally to avoid negative consequences of any kind (failing exams, not wanting to disappoint anyone, etc.).
- Krammer, G., Pflanzl, B., & Matischek-Jauk, M. (2020). Aspects of online teaching and their association with positive experience and motivation in student teachers: Mixed-method findings at the beginning of COVID-19. Journal of Educational Research, 1-39.
- Engelschalk, T., Steuer, G., & Dresel, M. (2015). How specifically do students regulate their motivation on different occasions? Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology.
- Pohl, E. (2010). Don't panic about blackouts. How to master tests. Springer Gabler: Wiesbaden. (pp. 127ff.) DOI 10.1007/978-3-658-06516-4
- Schiefele, U., & Streblow, L. (2006). Activating motivation. Handbook of learning strategies, 232-247.