Final answer:
The statement in question is true; motivation stems from a complex interplay of intrinsic desires, extrinsic rewards, and cognitive processes including the resolution of cognitive dissonance and social pressures such as conformity and persuasion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Motivation is a result of people interacting with their situations to satisfy unmet needs or to resolve cognitive dissonance' is true. Motivation can be driven by various factors such as biological drives, intrinsic satisfaction, extrinsic rewards, and social motives.
It relates to how we interact with our environment to fulfill basic needs and higher-level goals, as described by theories including Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and how we manage conflicts between our beliefs and behaviors, as in the resolution of cognitive dissonance.
For example, cognitive dissonance arises when our actions do not align with our beliefs, causing psychological discomfort, which in turn motivates us to change our attitudes, behaviors, or beliefs to reduce the dissonance and restore psychological harmony.
Albert Bandura highlighted the role of self-efficacy in motivation, where our behavior is influenced by the belief in our own abilities to succeed in a task, influencing the goals we set and the challenges we take on.
Furthermore, social motives like the need for achievement, affiliation, and intimacy, which fall into different domains such as ambition, power, and affection, also drive our behavior in various contexts.
The drive theory of motivation suggests that deviations from homeostasis create physiological needs, leading to psychological drive states directing behavior to meet the need and return the body to equilibrium.
On the other hand, social influences such as persuasion and conformity also play a role in shaping our motivations and resulting actions, emphasizing the complex interplay between internal desires and external social pressures.