Motivation Research Articles

Organizational Environment, Protection Motives, Adoption of Machine Learning, and Cybersecurity Behavior

The research presented in this intensive study uncovers the complex interaction between organizational and individual drivers affecting cybersecurity behavior within organizations. Its major focus is analyzing the impact of organizational policies and culture, training, and awareness programs on the cybersecurity conduct of employees. This paper also examines self-protective behavior related to risk perception, perceived self-efficiency, and response efficacy, which explains how these variables may influence self-protective behaviors. According to the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), the study unravels how individuals' different elements of threat appraisal, coping appraisal, and cost-benefit analysis contribute to their decisions to apply cybersecurity behaviors. It also underlines that machine learning is being used more and more in cybersecurity and demonstrates some important ML concepts in modern cybersecurity, such as picking up the right data to train with, coping with adversarial attacks, and, last but not least, making the models interpretable. Ultimately, having a comprehensive understanding of these cybersecurity behaviors may shed new light on mechanisms that can be used to develop cybersecurity strategies and technologies to help protect against the rapidly changing landscape of cyber threats. All research papers have an abstract. It can be created by simply compiling the main points (summary) of each section of the research paper.

From authentic leadership to knowledge sharing and knowledge worker retention: mediating role of psychological empowerment

ABSTRACT This study explores how leaders can reduce employees’ intention to quit and stimulate knowledge sharing in knowledge-based companies. Grounded in intrinsic motivation theory, it investigates the impact of authentic leadership on these outcomes, analyzing the mediating role of psychological empowerment. We tested the hypotheses in a sample of 123 professionals from a large private company operating in Brazil’s digital communication sector, employing structural equation modelling with Bayesian estimation. Results show that authentic leadership decreases the intention to quit and increases knowledge sharing. Additionallly, psychological empowerment fully mediates the relationship between authentic leadership and follower knowledge sharing but does not affect the intention to quit. This study highlights the role of positive forms of leadership in leveraging knowledge management and the importance of psychological empowerment as a critical mechanism through which authentic leaders promote knowledge sharing. Lastly, it underscores the association between authentic leadership and decreased turnover intention among knowledge workers.

A motivation-based study to explain accommodation choice of senior tourists: Hotel or Airbnb

Senior tourists, traditionally known for using offline methods and staying in hotels, are increasingly using new technologies and opting for alternative accommodation forms. Based on the push and pull theory of motivation, the generational cohort and lifespan development theories, this study fills a gap in the literature and examines senior tourists’ choice between Airbnb and hotels. A random parameter binomial logit applied to data from six European countries finds that the same motivation can act differently in this decision choice process. Rather than assuming that a motivation has an exclusive effect on each accommodation type, we propose the notion of a “differential fulfillment paradigm” to reflect the idea that two accommodation types can relate to the same motivation with different approaches. While both hotels and Airbnb can fulfill a common motivation, they do so through distinct features or attributes, offering consumers diverse avenues to achieve their desired outcome.

Fantasy of success, fear of failure and entrepreneurial choice: the moderating role of business vibrancy and failure experience

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of internal expectations, such as fantasy of success and fear of failure and external factors, such as social environment and past experiences, on entrepreneurial choice.Design/methodology/approachBased on achievement motivation and social cognitive theories, the authors construct hypotheses and use secondary data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) database and Economic Freedom Index report to empirically test the hypotheses. The authors also use propensity score matching to solve the endogeneity issue and test the robustness.FindingsInternal expectations (fantasy of success and fear of failure) on business outcomes inversely affect entrepreneurial choices, with a vibrant business environment amplifying and past failure experience mitigating these effects.Originality/valueDue to the economic recession, governments encourage small businesses. Thus, the complexity of individual entrepreneurial motivations and influencing factors necessitate deeper exploration. This study is one of the first research offering insights into entrepreneurial motivations from combined dimensions and providing theoretical support for strategies promoting public entrepreneurship.

Self-talk valence and motivational orientation for entrepreneurship: an exploratory study

ABSTRACT Self-talk is a well-researched component of self-efficacy that is frequently used as a motivational tool in sports. This study investigated how self-talk, as a component of entrepreneurship self-efficacy, relates to entrepreneurial motivation orientation. An online survey measured the self-talk valence of twenty-four entrepreneurs. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with the same entrepreneurs to collect narratives of their entrepreneurship start-up. The interview data were thematically coded and analysed. Links between the entrepreneurship motivation and the entrepreneurs’ net self-talk valence scores were plotted. The analysis suggests that those with positive self-talk typically had intrinsic motivation orientations, while those with negative scores had shared extrinsic motivational orientations. Contrary to the association of positive self-talk with motivation in sports, counterintuitively, negative self-talk’s link with motivation presents a novel finding. This finding is explained using the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ theories of entrepreneurial motivation. The study recommends deductive testing for this inductively explored relationship.

Altruistic and egoistic motivations to engage with contact-tracing apps: Lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic

During the Covid-19 pandemic, contact-tracing apps have offered effective help to bend the contagion curve. Thus, it is of critical importance to understand the factors that influence contact-tracing apps’ adoption among citizens. In particular, the successful adoption and usage of contact-tracing apps strongly relies on individual motives. Therefore, this study draws on the theory of altruistic and egoistic motivation for prosocial behaviours to analyse the underlying motives through which citizens engage in voluntary behaviours aimed at using and promoting the use of contact-tracing apps. The study also examines the mediating role of users’ trust in the app. Data from 221 users of Ireland’s Covid Tracker app was analysed. Structural equation modelling with PLS was used to test the research model. Findings show differences between egoistic and altruistic motivation in promoting app use and sharing. Egoistic motivation significantly promotes voluntary behaviours among citizens and users’ trust in the app mediates this influence. Yet, contrary to predictions, in the context of the pandemic, altruistic motivation does not play a significant role in engaging citizens in these voluntary behaviours, either directly or indirectly. The findings of this study are important for policy makers and may inform future policy decisions regarding the implementation of contact-tracing apps in the case of new pandemics or for other contexts requiring cooperative daily check-in.

Motivation Theories Affecting Organizational Commitment in the Workplace

In today's working life, as competition is increasing, ensuring the loyalty of employees to the organization is important for organizations to survive. In the literature, it is considered important to determine employees' attitudes toward work through motivation theories in order to ensure commitment to the organization. The sustainability of business organizations is shaped by the level of commitment of the organization's employees, and the goal of organizations is to ensure that their employees do not leave the organization, which draws attention to the importance of motivation theories for organizations. The subject of the study was to explain the evaluation of organizational commitment of organizational employees by providing support from motivation theories. The purpose of the study is to compile the attitudes of employees toward their work environment, motivation theories that affect the organizational commitment of individuals, and studies in the literature in the field of industrial and organizational psychology. The method of the research is based on the studies on organizational commitment and motivation theories in Turkey and the world between 1948 and 2023 in YÖK National Thesis Center, Google Scholar, ProQuest, ResearchGate databases such as "organization", "organizational commitment", "motivation", "motivation theories", "industrial and organizational psychology". It was reached by searching with the keywords. As a result of the search, the universe consisted of 75 articles, books, and master's and doctoral theses. 68 articles, books and dissertation materials were selected as the sample of the research. The importance of the study was explained by including the concept of organizational commitment, factors affecting organizational commitment and behavioral outcomes, motivation theories, employees' values regarding work life, factors affecting their organizational commitment, studies in the literature were evaluated and discussed within the framework of industrial and organizational psychology.

Effects on patient activation of eHealth support in addition to standard care in patients after radical prostatectomy: Analysis of secondary outcome from a randomized controlled trial.

Prostate cancer is often treated with radical prostatectomy, but surgery can leave patients with side effects. Patients who actively take part in their rehabilitation have been shown to achieve better clinical outcomes. eHealth support has the potential to increase patient activation, but has rarely been evaluated in long-term randomized controlled trials. Therefore, we evaluated the effects on patient activation of eHealth support (electronic Patient Activation in Treatment at Home, ePATH) based on motivational theory. The aim was to investigate the effects of eHealth support on patient activation at 6 and 12 months after radical prostatectomy, compared with standard care alone, and associations with baseline patient activation and depression. A multicentre randomized controlled trial with two study arms was conducted. Men planned for radical prostatectomy at three county hospitals in southern Sweden were included and randomized to the intervention or control group. The effects of ePATH on the secondary outcome, patient activation, were evaluated for one year after surgery using the patient activation measure and analysed using a linear mixed model. The study included 170 men during 2018-2019. In the intervention group, 64% (53/83) used ePATH. The linear mixed model showed no significant differences between groups in patient activation [β -2.32, P .39; CI -7.64-3.00]. Baseline patient activation [β 0.65, P < .001; CI 0.40-0.91] and depression [β -0.86, P .03; CI -1.64- -0.07] statistically impacted patient activation scores over one year. ePATH had no impact on patient activation during long-term prostate cancer rehabilitation. However, patient activation at baseline and depression scores significantly influenced patient activation, underlining the need to assess these aspects in prostate cancer surgery rehabilitation. ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN18055968, (07/06/2018); https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN18055968; International Registered Report Identifier: RR2-10.2196/11625.

Impact of psychological empowerment on job satisfaction among preschool teachers: mediating role of professional identity

The centrality of job satisfaction in fostering the stability and progression of the teaching cadre and in underpinning the effective operation of educational institutions is paramount. Drawing from motivation theory and the Job Demands-Resources model, this research delves into the influence of psychological empowerment on the job satisfaction of 533 preschool educators in China, employing the Psychological Empowerment Questionnaire, the Occupational Identity Questionnaire, and the Job Satisfaction Scale. The inquiry probes the intermediary function of occupational identity in the nexus between psychological empowerment and job satisfaction within the cohort of preschool teachers. The findings underscore that psychological empowerment substantially foretells heightened job satisfaction in preschool educators, and concurrently, occupational identity serves as a partial mediator in the association between psychological empowerment and job satisfaction. Augmenting levels of psychological empowerment and occupational identity among preschool teachers is a strategic avenue for fortifying their holistic contentment in their professional roles, thereby contributing indispensably to the fortification of a robust teaching workforce in kindergarten establishments.

Exploring factors influencing work productivity: A qualitative case study of employee motivation and leadership practices

Work productivity is essential for organisational success, yet the reasons for varying levels of productivity among individuals are still not fully understood. This qualitative case study explores the elements that impact employee productivity and leadership practices through an examination of a private Business College’s Headquarter office in England. The study investigates motivational factors and engagement techniques used in this office through interviews with personnel and management. By studying real-world examples like this private business college, this research develops our understanding of productivity and leadership in contemporary business environments. The research aims to investigate the complex factors influencing employee productivity by drawing on motivational theories such as Self-Determination Theory and Expectancy Theory, as well as insights from leadership literature on transformational leadership and employee engagement. Early findings indicate that internal motivators, such as autonomy, competency, and purpose, are crucial in enhancing employee productivity. Leadership styles that exhibit empathy, honesty, and a shared vision promote trust and cooperation, leading to increased employee engagement and performance. This research intends to provide important insights on employee productivity and leadership practices in the Headquarter office of a private business college setting by using a qualitative case study technique.

Digital transformation in human resources management and work-at-home

Purpose Based on the ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) theory, this study aims to investigate the role of digital human resources management (digital-HRM) practices in influencing hotel employee behaviors, especially their adoption of work-at-home (WAH). Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted in two stages in hotels in Vietnam. Stage 1 used a mixed method to develop an instrument to measure digital-HRM practices. In Stage 2, through a survey of 303 respondents, the research investigated digital-HRM practices’ additive and interactive effects on WAH. Findings The study shows that digital-HRM comprised five factors. Except for digital recruitment, the other digital-HRM practices significantly affected WAH. In addition, the research suggests that digital training and employee involvement should be combined to enhance employee willingness for WAH. Research limitations/implications Drawing on the AMO theory, this study constructs a digital-HRM measurement scale to study the antecedents and consequences of these practices to improve employees’ digital work efficiency. In addition, through both additive and combinative (a two-way interaction) models, the study enhances the HRM and hotel management theory by understanding why digital-HRM practices are essential to boost employees’ digital competencies to adopt remote working. Practical implications By investigating the role of digital-HRM practices in improving employees’ adoption of WAH, this study provides empirical implications for hotels to manage digital-HRM practices better and thus makes remote working effective. Originality/value The existing literature reveals the lack of a deep understanding of how HRM practices can promote digital devices and services and their influence on employee behaviors, especially in the hotel sector. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is unique in extending the AMO theory into the digital context to illuminate components of digital-HRM practices and clarify how digitalizing HRM practices can motivate hotel employees to accept WAH.

A Historical Review of the Prevalence of Job Stress Theories.

Job stress theories have been developed and refined to better understand employee wellbeing. Now that the field is maturing, it is appropriate to review the theoretical trends and developments for future research and practical guidance. The current paper provides a historical review, with both objective (i.e., counts of published theories) and subjective evaluation of job stress theory. In Study 1, two trained raters coded theories used in job stress journals. The job demand-control (-support; JDCS) model was initially well-represented, but has been superseded more recently by theories that focus on multiple resources (e.g., the job demand-resource - JDR - model). Among non-job stress theories, motivation and affective theories have been well-represented within job stress research. Study 2 expanded the results of Study 1 through review of two international applied psychology journals with additional coding categories. Specifically, we identified empirical support for theories and researcher characteristics (i.e., national and professional affiliation). The JDCS model had the least full support according to a vote counting method, and resource models (e.g., JDR) the most. Germany and the Netherlands were the most represented locations, with the United States having the most international collaborations. Psychology and management were the most represented affiliations.

The effect of a physically formidable competitor or cooperator on attraction to violent video games

Typically, men prefer violent video games more than women do. However, little is known about the motivational factors driving this greater preference for violent games in men. The integrative motivational model of violent video games (IMT-VVG) suggests that the pull of violent video games should be strongest in men because men have faced stronger evolutionary pressures to physically compete within an explicit hierarchy relative to women. In two experiments, individuals were led to believe they were competing (Experiment 1; N = 122) or cooperating (Experiment 2; N = 121) with an ostensible same-gender partner to complete a physical strength program. The partner was presented as either high or low in physical formidability. Participants then selected a violent or non-violent video game to play for up to 15 min. In Experiment 1, men showed a stronger preference for violent video games than women when they anticipated facing a stronger opponent in an impending physical strength competition. In Experiment 2, for the physical cooperation task, men also chose the violent game over the non-violent game, but did so independent of the formidability of their cooperation partner. In sum, these data suggest that men may be attracted to violent video games when faced with a competitive task that requires physical strength, but not necessarily a cooperative task. In support of this hypothesis, participants who played the violent games reported greater subjective toughness after game play. These results provide evidence for a new integrative motivational theory of violent video game play.

Implementing Gender Motivation Theory in Intimate Partner Violence

The aim of this article is to present and examine the principles of gender motivation theory against a backdrop of research findings accumulated over time. This theory is founded on two general, established, major theories: sexual selection theory and social role theory. Gender motivation theory focuses on the elementary primal motivations of men and women in social situations and contexts. This theory provides a theoretical foundation for a gendered understanding of intimate relationships among normative and clinical populations. Gender motivation theory was developed as a response to the existing discrepancies between previously developed theories whose principles continue to be used to understand and intervene with intimate partner violence and as a response to empirical data accumulated over the years.

The Mpox Vaccine Hesitancy Scale for Mpox: Links with Vaccination Intention among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Six Cities of China.

Vaccine hesitancy is a significant barrier to achieving high vaccination rates, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM), a group at increased risk for Mpox. This study aimed to develop and validate a Mpox vaccine hesitancy scale specifically tailored for Chinese MSM, grounded in the protection motivation theory (PMT). An online survey through snowball sampling was conducted from October 2023 to March 2024, collecting 2403 valid responses across six representative regions in China. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to evaluate the scale's construct validity, while reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α coefficient. The predictive validity of the scale was analyzed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. EFA ultimately retained 22 items in the Mpox vaccination scale and identified four distinct dimensions: Maladaptive Rewards (seven items), Self-efficacy (seven items), Response Efficacy (four items), and Response Costs (four items). These dimensions were confirmed by CFA, which demonstrated satisfactory model fit indices (χ²/df = 4.382, RMSEA = 0.053, SRMR = 0.048, GFI = 0.935, CFI = 0.967, NFI = 0.958, TLI = 0.963, and IFI =0.967). All indices were within acceptable ranges. The scale exhibited good internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.906, and strong content validity, with an S-CVI/Ave of 0.952. The scale's predictive accuracy was evaluated using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. When used to evaluate the scale's predictive accuracy, it yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.854 after adjustments, indicating good predictive ability between high and low hesitancy. This scale provides a reliable and valid tool for assessing Mpox vaccine hesitancy among MSM and can be used to gauge Mpox vaccination intention within this group.

"Life as We Knew It": Continued Challenges in Getting Up-to-Date COVID-19 Vaccinations Amongst Black and Latinx Michigan Residents.

Minority communities are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. In Michigan in 2024, 59% of Latinx residents, 46% of Black residents, and 57% of White residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine. However, just 7% of Black residents and 6% of Latinx residents report being up-to-date per CDC definition, versus 13% of White residents. Drawing from protection motivation theory, we aimed to identify barriers to COVID-19 vaccination. Interviews with 24 Black and 10 Latinx Michigan residents self-reported as not up-to-date (n = 15) or up-to-date (n = 19) on COVID-19 vaccines were conducted in 2022-2023. We used a community-based participatory approach in collaboration with 16 leaders from 15 organizations to develop research questions, interview protocols, and methods for data collection and analysis. Thematic coding of interviews was conducted. Findings indicate participants' lack of confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine's efficacy, with those not up-to-date expressing greater doubt. Participants were also concerned about vaccine benefits versus risks, safety, and side effects. Distrust in medicine, confusion about public health guidelines, and conspiracy theories were often reported. Younger unvaccinated individuals cited low health risk as reason to remain unvaccinated. Many participants felt that health education, especially through medical professionals, was beneficial. There is great need for more data to make informed decisions given ongoing lack of understanding of the public health benefits of COVID-19 vaccination. Identifying drivers of vaccine uptake, particularly boosters, in communities of color and developing age-appropriate and culturally responsive interventions to increase vaccination rates are of utmost importance.

Only a matter of time? Using logfile data to evaluate temporal motivation theory in university students' examination preparation.

While previous research has emphasized the importance of personal beliefs (expectancy-value theories) for achievement-motivated behaviour, it lacks the integration of temporal factors that are also discussed as important drivers of achievement-motivated behaviour. Temporal Motivation Theory (TMT) combines both approaches in a formalized manner. Although TMT is supported by empirical studies with self-reported academic procrastination, it has not been tested on actual achievement-motivated behaviour. We evaluated the predictive power of the TMT on N = 2351 learning days of 127 psychology students' self-regulated examination preparation for statistics over the course of one semester using logfile data of an e-learning system. The proposed TMT score, incorporating expectancy and value beliefs, sensivitiy to delay, and actual time till examination predicted students' achievement-motivated behaviour significantly. Further analyses revealed that not the trait compositions of the TMT, but the temporal proximity of the statistics examination was the main driver of this association. The results have important implications for understanding the factors that shape students' motivation to learn and subsequent academic success in actual learning situations. Thus, research should continue to take situational aspects, especially the temporal proximity of goals more into account.

Professional Learning in the Workplace: How and Why do Physicians Learn?

Learning in the workplace supports physicians in developing competences to ensure quality medical care. As such, learning in the workplace is essential for physicians’ life-long professional development. Notwithstanding its importance, research on physicians’ learning in the workplace and the corresponding motivational drivers is limited. In this study, 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore experienced physicians’ learning activities and their motivation for learning in the workplace. In addition, it was examined whether differences could be noted in learning in the workplace depending on physicians’ experience, specialism, gender or the type of hospital they work in.Concepts from learning in the workplace and motivation theories, i.e. learning activities in the workplace, self-determination theory and achievement goal theory, guided the data analysis, and an inductive analysis was conducted as well. Results revealed various learning activities for instance but not limited to: learning by asking colleagues for feedback, asking for help while performing particular medical actions, helping students while conducting their assignments or observing colleagues. Besides, the participants indicated different motives for learning. Physicians reported that they are motivated to properly perform their job, they enjoy learning and/or like learning in relation to solving challenging cases. The study shows that participants’ differences in motivation can be related to seniority and the type of hospitals physicians are employed in.

Evaluation of psychometric characteristics of employee motivation in the workplace

Researchers constantly look for the ideal motivating factors in various countries, industries, and sectors, due to its multilateral dimension, which includes employees, managers, organizational policies and practices, and the way that the very dynamic external environmental factors influence them. Self-Determination Theory of motivation proposed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, embraces a holistic approach to human motivation which started by identifying several motivational styles and has been implemented in different fields of workplace motivation and management This paper aims to emphasize the importance of examining the psychometric characteristics of the employee motivation scale in the workplace, relying on some bifactor model ancillary indices. The degree of motivation was measured through the Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale (MWMS), based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT). The data were collected from a self-report questionnaire addressed to 658 employees from various businesses and institutions in the Korça region, in Albania. The ancillary indices, derived from the standardized loadings of a confirmatory bifactor model, provide a more comprehensive overview of the psychometric characteristics of the measurement instrument. The study showed that treating the MWMS as unidimensional within a multidimensional construct may cause only a small bias. However, its interpretation seems questionable. On the other hand, the added value of some subscale scores should be considered and can be statistically appropriate for interpretation, helping applied researchers. This study contributes to the field by highlighting the necessity of scrutinizing the psychometric properties of the employee motivation scale and demonstrates the utility of employing bifactor model ancillary indices for a more nuanced understanding. For the first time in Albania, we have a measurement instrument related to the motivation of employees in the workplace, which enjoys good psychometric characteristics.

Considering the animating ethos of designing digital first unemployment services: On the motivation of others

AbstractThis paper explores the animating ethos of digital unemployment services. Unlike human‐to‐human services, where the intention of policy is normally mediated by professionals, digital services are fully designed in the policy imagination. As a result, it is a pressing issue to understand the ethos that animates their development. To address this, we report on design thinking focus groups undertaken to support the development of a disruptive digital unemployment service that sought the views and responses of three different groups—senior policymakers, caseworkers and unemployed people in four European countries. Without prompting, each conversation variously problematised the imputed motivations of unemployed people, suggesting a form of paternalistic motivation that should only risked in‐person. From this, we suggest that the design of digital unemployment services may well be dominated by the axiomatic, uncritical mobilisation of motivation theory. Going further, we offer a brief genealogy of the form of motivation theory that surfaced in the study, highlighting its interesting, shared history in seminal studies on unemployment. As a result, we conclude, that rather than altering welfare, digitisation may reanimate, essentialise and make durable activation in new ways that deepen longstanding processes of “double activation”—activating public employment services as well as the unemployed.