A meta-theoretical framework for organizing and integrating theory and research on motivation for health-related behavior

Abstract

The concept of motivation is broad and multi-faceted. In health psychology, motivation has been conceptualized as cravings, urges, or desires for unhealthy behaviors, such as consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, or calorie-dense foods; or as behavioral intentions or proximal goals for healthy behaviors, such as smoking cessation, physical activity, or condom use. Because of the differences in terminology and associated theoretical underpinnings, it is difficult to characterize the state of the science or integrate research findings on motivation for health-related behavior. The present paper introduces a meta-theoretical Automatic-Reflective Motivation Framework (ARM-F) with the goals of organizing and integrating theory and research on motivation for health-related behaviors. At the first and broadest level, the ARM-F defines general motivation as a wanting or desire to do something. At the second level, it distinguishes between automatic and reflective motivation types, consistent with emerging perspectives in health psychology, historical and contemporary philosophical views on desire, and dual-processing perspectives in psychology. At the third level, the ARM-F preserves the nuanced terminologies and conceptualizations within the automatic (e.g., craving, urge, desire) and reflective (e.g., behavioral intention) motivation categories. The ARM-F has potential utility for organizing and integrating theory and research on motivation for health-related behavior, with implications for future research.

Humans have a basic physical and psychological need to move the body: Physical activity as a primary drive

“…Butt (1976) commented that, “motivation may be seen as evolving from two major sources: a biologically-based fund of energy, and all secondary or environmental influences, each with positive and negative pulls.” Alderman (1974) , took a more comprehensive view, stating, “motivated behavior is the sum total of instincts and needs, motives and drives, conscious and unconscious forces, and a function of what one expects to gain from participation in sport,” which Feige (1976) categorized hierarchically to explain physical activity motivation. The ideas of action impulse and urge have also reemerged, though they remain very poorly defined across the literature ( Gardner, 2015 ; Brand and Ekkekakis, 2018 ; Rebar et al, 2018 ; Stults-Kolehmainen et al, 2020a , 2022a ; Ekkekakis and Brand, 2021 ; Williams, 2023 ).…”

Navigating the complex terrain of motivated behavior: a bibliometric and neuroscientific perspective

“…As time went on, scholars layered in the wisdom of cognitive theories, like the expectancy-value models that gauge the likely payoffs of what we do, all while keeping an eye on how our social worlds and the places we inhabit tug on the strings of our motivations. As understood in modern psychology and neuroscience, motivation has evolved over centuries, with roots in philosophical inquiry, later refined by psychological theories and neuroscientific research (Abdullah, 2019;Wasserman and Wasserman, 2020;Williams, 2023). From the philosophical discussions of Aristotle on 'telos' (Greek, the end 'goal' , 'purpose') to the emergence of motivation in psychological terms in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the journey of understanding motivation has been extensive.…”

“…From the philosophical discussions of Aristotle on 'telos' (Greek, the end 'goal' , 'purpose') to the emergence of motivation in psychological terms in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the journey of understanding motivation has been extensive. It encompasses various perspectives, including behaviorism, drive theory, humanistic and cognitive perspectives, and a significant leap in the latter half of the 20th century into the 21st, with the neuroscientific integration of these concepts (Abdullah, 2019;Hattie et al, 2020;Wasserman and Wasserman, 2020;Williams, 2023). The etiology and scientific explanation of the term "motivation" and "motivated behavior" in the context of neuroscience and psychology are rooted in the interplay between physiological needs, psychological states, and environmental stimuli that drive organisms toward goal-oriented actions (Koenka, 2020).…”

The CRAVE and ARGE scales for motivation states for physical activity and sedentarism: Brazilian Portuguese translation and single-item versions

“…Physical inactivity and sedentarism result from many factors, including environmental, social, and intra- and inter-personal factors ( Bauman et al, 2012 ). While cognitive explanations have dominated the literature, there has been a turn to affective/emotion-based theories ( Williams et al, 2019 ; Stevens et al, 2020 ; Williams, 2023 ), as well as motivational theory ( Michie et al, 2011 ; Stults-Kolehmainen et al, 2020 ). Indeed, motivation is one of the strongest predictors of physical inactivity/sedentarism ( Mayo et al, 2022 ).…”