Final answer:
Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory best describes a theory of motivation that identifies factors related to employee satisfaction and dissatisfaction along different continua, explaining how work-content factors heavily influence job satisfaction and how pay levels have a weaker correlation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory of motivation that identifies factors related to employee satisfaction and dissatisfaction along different continua is best named Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory. According to Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, there are motivators which lead to job satisfaction, and hygiene factors that, if absent, lead to job dissatisfaction. Motivators include aspects such as responsibility, advancement, and personal growth, while hygiene factors comprise of elements like work conditions, salary, and company policies.
Locke's definition of job satisfaction indicates that it results from how we think about our work (cognition) and how we feel about our work (affect). Factors such as the work itself, personality, and culture may impact job satisfaction. It is also interesting to note that employee attitudes towards work and responsibility, as described in Theory X and Theory Y, can influence job satisfaction. Overall, research has shown that the work-content factor is the most predictive of job satisfaction, and less correlation is found between pay level and job satisfaction.