Vroom’s Motivation Theory

Since the 1960s, psychologists have focused on studying cognitive processes such as perception, memory, thinking, imagination, and attention. This led to the rapid development of cognitive psychology and the emergence of many cognitive theories. One of these is Victor Vroom’s motivation theory, which, from a management perspective, was the first to view working individuals not as automatons or machines, but as researchers modeling reality.

Vroom’s motivation concept is based on the expected utility theory, proposed in 1944 by mathematicians John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern. It explains how people evaluate the possible outcomes of their actions. For example, when deciding whether to go left or right, we don’t know the consequences of our choice. We must mentally create a concept of potential outcomes and determine their value.

Any cognitive motivation theory assumes that people consciously control their behavior. Using cognitive tools, we understand what we are doing and why. We can compare different behavioral options and organizational contexts in search of the most optimal one.

Core Elements of the Theory

Vroom’s Expectancy Theory examines motivation as a system of various factors that determine human behavior in an organizational context (at the workplace). The essence of the theory lies in the result we expect to achieve after completing a task.

Vroom’s theory can be broken down into three components: effort, job performance, and reward. We invest effort, which turns into work, and work leads to a reward (in decision theory, this is called an outcome), which can be money, fame, or the fulfillment of personal ambitions.

There are three important factors in Vroom’s theory that determine motivation:

• Expectancy – Our expectations, which depend on our assessment of our abilities and experience, as well as the presence of obstacles and limitations.
• Instrumentality – The perceived connection between performance and reward. According to Vroom, people believe that the better they perform, the greater the reward they will receive. However, this only works if the person clearly understands this link.
• Valence – The significance or value of the outcome.

As early as the 18th century, Swiss physicist and mathematician Daniel Bernoulli formulated the concept of subjective utility, which states that a gain for one person may have no value for another. This means that valence assessments are individual. People may focus on external factors such as salary, incentives, and respect, or internal factors like satisfaction with results and pride.

Vroom’s model has been repeatedly confirmed in laboratory and field studies. In a meta-analysis by Van Eerde and Thierry, predictive expectations calculated using Vroom’s model correlated highly with both subjective achievement assessments (from the individual’s perspective) and objective job performance indicators.

Criticism of the Theory

Vroom’s theory has faced criticism, some of which applies to all cognitive motivation theories. They do not account for unconscious factors in determining human behavior, particularly in organizational settings.

Regarding Vroom’s theory specifically, the focus is on the process (work) and motivation, which is typical for any process-based theory. However, because of this, it minimally addresses the concept of feedback (“work–reward”), making it unclear how rewards will affect future performance.

Victor Vroom himself eventually acknowledged the vulnerabilities of his theory and suggested ways to improve it:

• Situational aspect: Expectations do not arise in a vacuum—one must consider the situation and the dynamics of events. For example, if an organization plans reforms or innovations, consultants often recommend hiring people with positive experience in such activities.
• Origin of motives: It’s important to consider what drives a person to start working. Again, one should look at the dynamics and search for hidden circumstances or factors related to unconscious behavioral tendencies.
• Internal motivation: More attention should be paid to internal motivation, which is directly related to valence. Sometimes, what motivates one person in an organization may not motivate another. It’s important to consider people’s personal interests and values.

The Theory’s Significance for Psychology

Although Victor Vroom’s book “Work and Motivation” was published in 1964, his theory remains relevant today and is significant in various fields involving human resources: management, organizational psychology, and organizational consulting practice.

It helps address issues such as employee motivation, reducing staff turnover, loss of productivity in group work, and many others. With its help, managers and leaders can better understand what influences work outcomes, what affects the amount of effort a person will invest, and how hard they will strive to complete a task flawlessly.