Final answer:
Motivation is the psychological force that energizes, directs, and sustains a person's behavior. It is essential for driving actions towards achieving goals and satisfying needs.
Step-by-step explanation:
A force within or outside of the body that energizes, directs, and sustains behavior is known as motivation. Motivation is like a force because it propels individuals to act towards a goal or satisfy their needs and desires. It's different from just effort or ability as it encompasses the reasons behind behavior, not just the magnitude of the action.
For example, when considering the subject of self-regulation, known as self-efficacy or will power, this too is closely linked to the concept of motivation. Self-efficacy, in particular, ties into motivation as your belief in your own abilities can increase your drive to succeed. Additionally, the force exerted by muscles can be influenced by motivation, which determines the energy and intensity of the contraction. In physics, we talk about the force of gravity or the force of friction, but when discussing motivation in psychology, we refer to the inner or external stimuli that push or pull an individual towards specific actions and behaviors.