Old Perspectives on Motivation

Reviews the book, Motivation by John P. Houston (1985). In the introduction, the author defines motivation as the study of factors which initiate and direct behavior, and those that determine the intensity and persistence of that behavior. One of the sections begins with a chapter on ethology, in which the author criticizes ethologists for endorsing the Lorenz-Tinbergen hydraulic model and for ignoring the role of learning in behavior--criticisms that might have found their mark 20 years ago. Another section begins with a chapter on conditioning and reinforcement. One the whole, this book is clearly written. Concepts are described in small, labeled sections that present main ideas without taxing the reader's attention with many details. Because of its clarity and simplicity, the book can be used in high school and lower level college courses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)