A Combined Model for Understanding Motivation
John Knudson-Martin

Abstract
To design programs and curricula that engage people in activities requires an understanding of how motivation operates in people’s lives. There are multiple theories of motivation published in many journals and books from different fields of study (e.g., education, psychology, sociology). A substantial investment of time is needed to review this literature – time which professionals often do not have. In this paper, major theories of motivation are reviewed and then integrated into a Combined Model for Understanding Motivation that can be used in the design, implementation and assessment of programs in business, education and other fields. This model gives professionals a way of understanding how motivation operates and that is intuitive and based on research.

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