Forventningsteorier

Forventningsteorier, also known as expectancy theories, are a group of motivational theories that suggest individuals are motivated to behave in ways that they believe will lead to desired outcomes. These theories posit that motivation is a cognitive process where individuals evaluate potential actions and their likely consequences. The core idea is that people make conscious choices about how much effort to exert based on their expectations.

A central concept within forventningsteorier is the relationship between effort, performance, and outcomes. It is generally understood that an individual's motivation is influenced by three key components. Firstly, expectancy is the belief that increased effort will lead to improved performance. Secondly, instrumentality is the belief that successful performance will result in a particular outcome or reward. Thirdly, valence refers to the value or attractiveness an individual places on that outcome or reward.

Forventningsteorier suggest that for motivation to occur, all three components must be present and perceived positively by the individual. If any one of these elements is perceived as low or negative, motivation is likely to be diminished. For example, an employee might be motivated to work harder if they believe their effort will lead to good performance (high expectancy), that good performance will be rewarded (high instrumentality), and that the reward is something they value (high valence). These theories are widely applied in organizational behavior and management to understand and enhance employee motivation.