Unconsious Motivation

Psychoanalytic and psychodynamic theories of motivation suggest that unconscious forces and drives motivate behaviour, and that conflict exists between basic animalistic drives and socialised norms for behaviour. This conflict leads to anxiety and other psychological disorders if poorly managed. Freud suggested that we have 2 basic instincts; one is Eros which drives us towards life and nourishment needs such as hunger sex and affiliation needs. The other is Thanatos which is our instinct for destruction as well as withdrawal, relaxation and homeostasis with the ultimate state of homeostasis being death.  Freud suggest that these 2 drives help explain seemingly paradoxical behaviour such as suicide and self sabotaging as well as aggression, which do not serve life, as these two instincts are constantly in competition to motivate behaviour.

Although many of Freud’s ideas about unconscious motivations are questioned by a more modern and scientific age of psychology, it is undeniable that unconscious drives operate and influence behaviour. It was interesting to consider the idea that if we are guided by unconscious drives that we are not in control of our own behaviour and our own lives, a scary thought. However if we didn’t operate with unconscious or reflexive behaviour life would be much more difficult for us. There are some things that would be a waste of time and energy to bring into our conscious awareness and thus unconscious processes are vital.

Contemporary psychodynamics do not have a strictly deterministic view of these unconscious drives motivating behaviour. Instead they emphasise that if one can understand these unconscious drives they can change them and this can lead to a more positive wellbeing.

I certainly agree with the basic concept of object relations which suggest that unresolved issues from the past, and ones upbringing, effect current relationships and can motivate us to behave in maladaptive ways. Particularly in romantic relationships, I think its quit common for people to bring issues and maladaptive patterns of behaviour from their last relationships or relationships with their parents and family members into a new relationship.

I found it interesting to consider the fact that the ID seems to closely resemble the limbic structures of the brain that are more animalistic and emotion driven and emphasise rewards and punishment, pleasure and anxiety. While the ego resembles the neo-cortex in that it regulates these animalistic drives to be expressed in rational and socially acceptable ways. It’s fascinating that although much of Freud’s theory is considered unscientific or just plain incorrect, that this part of his theory may actually be partially correct with the structure of the brain alluding to his concepts of ID and Ego.

The idea of defence mechanisms is also an important part of psychoanalytic/dynamic theory. Defence mechanisms are put in place to protect one’s self from the anxiety from not being able to satisfy all the desires of the ID, as they may not be socially acceptable or rational. These defence mechanisms can be immature and maladaptive like denial or can be mature and productive like sublimation. Sublimation channels undesirable impulses into something productive such as creative energy. At times, I think everyone uses immature defence mechanisms such as denial and rationalisation. Although as a whole they may be maladaptive, I think there are times when these defence mechanisms are warranted and actually helpful for ones well being, at least for the short term. In the long term however being able to utilise more mature defence mechanism would be useful, however I don’t think it happens all too often in reality as the ease of using the less mature defence mechanisms makes them more appealing.

 Overall I find the concept of unconscious motivation really interesting and am pleased that as psychology becomes more sophisticated some of Freud’s concepts that were once considered to be impossible to test, may now be also to be tested scientifically.

 Reeve, J. (2009). Understanding motivation and emotion (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.