Understanding Perceptual Grouping and Motivation Theories

Perceptual Grouping

Perceptual Grouping is the tendency to group several stimuli together into a recognizable pattern. This includes:

• Continuity: Only the obvious continuous patterns or relationships are considered.
• Closure: The perceptual process will close gaps that are unfilled from sensory inputs. We may see a whole where none exists or may not see what exists.
• Proximity: Nearness states that a group of stimuli that are close together will be perceived as a whole pattern of parts belonging together. For example, students coming out of a lecture hall.
• Similarity: The greater the similarity of stimuli, the greater the tendency to perceive them as a common group. For example, a group of people coming out of an office building demonstrates proximity and similarity.
• Contrast Effect: The tendency to perceive stimuli that differ from expectations as being even more different from expectations.
• Primacy Effect: The effect by which the information first received often continues to color later perceptions of individuals, known as anchoring.

Motivation Theories

There are two main types of motivation theories:

• Content Theories

  These theories focus on the factors within a person that energize, direct, sustain, and stop behavior. They look at the specific needs that motivate people. Content theorists include Abraham Maslow, Clayton P. Alderfer, Frederick Herzberg, and David C. McClelland. Their theories have been helpful in discussing motivation, but not all have been verified through research.

• Process Theories

  These theories provide a description and analysis of how behavior is energized, directed, sustained, and stopped. Four process theories are predominant: Reinforcement, expectancy, equity, and goal setting. Reinforcement and goal-setting theories have been supported by research studies and are viewed as the most helpful in application. Expectancy and equity theories have become a part of compensation curricula and are considered in the design of compensation plans. Expectancy and equity theories have not been as thoroughly researched as reinforcement and goal-setting theories.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

1. Biological and Physiological Needs: Air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep.
2. Safety Needs: Protection from elements, security, order, law, stability, freedom from fear.
3. Love and Belongingness Needs: Friendship, intimacy, trust, acceptance, receiving and giving affection, and love.
4. Affiliating: Being part of a group (family, friends, work).
5. Esteem Needs: Achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, self-respect, respect from others.
6. Self-Actualization Needs: Realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth, and peak experiences.

ERG Theory

ERG Theory is a theory in psychology proposed by Clayton Alderfer. Alderfer further developed Maslow's hierarchy of needs by categorizing the hierarchy into his ERG theory (Existence, Relatedness, and Growth). The existence group is concerned with providing the basic material existence requirements of humans.

Frustration-Regression

Frustration-Regression is when the gratification of a higher-order need is blocked, and the desire to satisfy a lower-level need increases.

The Two-Factor Theory

The Two-Factor Theory (also known as Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory and dual-factor theory) states that there are certain factors in the workplace that cause job satisfaction, while a separate set of factors cause dissatisfaction.