1. We cannot directly observe a person’s motivation; all we can observe is that person’s
behaviour and the environment in which (s)he acts. Motivation is something inside
the individual, and it acts reciprocally with the environment. In general, we consider
that it stimulates, directs, and sustains behaviour.
2. We often seek to explain why individuals behave in a specific manner, although in
fact, we can only describe their behaviour when they act reciprocally with their
environment. After all, we can only describe individuals’ behaviour with the help of
certain instruments of control: direct observation, questionnaires, interviews,
reactions to certain stimuli, etc.
3. It is also worth remembering that motivation is merely one more element – and not
the only one – which determines behaviour. Furthermore, it is above all a question of
degree, hence the fact that we often speak of “degrees of motivation”. Motivation
involves several processes. In order to obtain a deeper insight into the underlying
processes by means of which children begin to learn in class, pay attention to certain
activities more than to others, and are persistent despite distractions, we must carry
out an extensive overview of theory and research.