Center on the Developing Child: Understanding Motivation
- 5 Facts About Motivation That Are Often Misunderstood Jan 2019
- How to Motivate Children: Science-Based Approaches for Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers
- Understanding Motivation: Building the Brain Architecture That Supports Learning, Health, and Community Participation Jan 2019
This Working Paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child explains the science behind motivation–the “wanting” system and the “liking” system–as well as how those systems develop, and how that development can be disrupted. It also dives into the implications of the science for parents, caregivers, and teachers, as well as policy and public systems.
The Brain Circuits Underlying Motivation: An Interactive Graphic
In this interactive graphic, hover over or click the labels on the brain regions to learn more about how each region affects motivation, and hover over or click the highlighted text to the left of the brain image to see how those regions interact.
