THE 16 BASICS REISS THEORY
When people engage in tasks and feel competent and self-determining, they express their intrinsic motivation by saying “That’s interesting,” “That’s fun,” or “I enjoy doing that.” For instance, interest and feeling free can spark the desire to read a book, and enjoyment and feeling competent can involve a person in a challenging crossword puzzle for hours. Starting from studies involving more than 6,000 people, Professor Steven Reiss has proposed a theory that found 16 basic desires that guide nearly all human behavior. The 16 basic desires that motivate our actions and define our personalities are: In this multifaceted model, these basic intrinsic desires directly motivate a person’s behavior. The unique combination and ranking of these desires determine our individuality and uniqueness. Although people may also be motivated by non-basic desires, Reiss suggests it may be a means to achieve an even deeper basic motivation. From a Gamification standpoint, it is especial...