Dimensiones básicas de la motivación humana

Why do we do what we do? This is the question that is tried to answer in this work. It is undoubtedly a central issue in psychology and is one of the challenges of a science that seeks to improve people's lives. Through six dimensions (instinct-learning, passivity-activity, extrinsic-intrinsic, unconscious-conscious, individual-society and approach-avoidance), the book reviews basic concepts and theories of motivation. Although these concepts are contextualized in their historical moment, the text focuses on their value as interpretive instruments of human behavior. It is aimed primarily at students of Psychology and Health Sciences, and related degrees such as Pedagogy, Sociology or Social Work. It includes both recent research in the fields of cognitive neuroscience and the broader reflections on evolutionary psychology, behaviorism, psychoanalysis, the cognitive perspective of motivation, and the theory of self-determination. The work can also be attractive for a non-university reader who wants to get closer to knowledge about the human being: Where do desires arise? Are we determined by our genetics? What are the cognitive mechanisms that determine the approach or avoidance of stimuli? Why are goals and plans so important in life satisfaction? These and other questions can be found here with a simple but well-documented answer.