Early in this chapter, we noted a potential complaint about psychology. Psychologists devote so much time to studying inner mental life, some say, that they leave their subject matter, people, “lost in thought”—contemplative but inactive. Now that you have reached the end of the chapter, you see what the psychology of motivation has accomplished: It has “found” what otherwise might have been “lost.” Today’s psychological science of motivation squashes the complaint by providing a rich understanding of the diverse needs, goals, and social influences that motivate people into action—and sometimes leave them unmotivated even when they should act.

The power of motivation is seen in many other areas of psychology. Motivational forces influence people’s perceptions of the world (Chapter 5). They power conscious and unconscious processes of personality (Chapter 13). Clinicians harness people’s capacity to motivate themselves when formulating programs to benefit their clients (Chapter 14).

Chapter Review Now that you have completed this chapter, be sure to turn to Appendix B, where you will find a Chapter Summary that is useful for reviewing what you have learned about motivation.