Temporal Motivation Theory
A theory explaining how motivation changes based on the timing of rewards and costs.
Also known as: TMT, Steel-König theory, Time-based motivation
Category: Concepts
Tags: procrastination, motivations, psychology, theory, time
Explanation
Temporal Motivation Theory (TMT), developed by Piers Steel and Cornelius König, integrates insights from expectancy theory, need theory, and hyperbolic discounting to explain motivation and procrastination. The core insight: motivation isn't static but changes over time as deadlines approach or recede. TMT explains why: we prefer tasks with immediate rewards, motivation spikes as deadlines near, and distant rewards motivate poorly despite their objective value. The theory predicts when procrastination is most likely: tasks with delayed rewards, low personal value, or uncertain outcomes. TMT synthesizes into the procrastination equation, providing intervention strategies for each component. The temporal aspect is key - the same task at different times has different motivational pull. For knowledge workers, TMT helps: understand why motivation fluctuates, design work structures that account for temporal effects, and create artificial deadlines that leverage approaching-deadline motivation.
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