motive

1. An emotion, desire, physiological need, or similar impulse that acts as an incitement to action.
2. (mō'tĭv, mō-tēv') A motif in art, literature, or music.

1. Causing or able to cause motion: motive power.
2. Impelling to action: motive pleas.
3. Of or constituting an incitement to action.

[Middle English motif, motive, from Old French motif, from Late Latin mōtīvus, of motion, from Latin mōtus, past participle of movēre, to move.]

Internal motivators of human behavior such as pride or greed that are acquired as the result of experience rather than being instinctual. Consumers make purchases to satisfy either learned drives or primary drives. Cues affect how people respond to drives. Brand advertising cues a consumer to purchase a particular brand. If the purchase satisfies a drive, the purchase behavior will be reinforced and brand loyalty will begin to be established. See also hierarchy of needs model.

noun

1. A basis for an action or a decision: cause, ground (often used in plural), motivation, reason, spring. See start/end.
2. An element or a component in a decorative composition: design, device, figure, motif, pattern. See part/whole.

Definition: reason, purpose
Antonyms: deterrent, discouragement, hindrance

A latent, relatively persistent cause, which determines a particular course of action.

An idea, belief, or emotion that impels a person to act in accordance with that state of mind.

Motive is usually used in connection with criminal law to explain why a person acted or refused to act in a certain way — for example, to support the prosecution's assertion that the accused committed the crime. If a person accused of murder was the beneficiary of a life insurance policy on the deceased, the prosecution might argue that greed was the motive for the killing.

Proof of motive is not required in a criminal prosecution. In determining the guilt of a criminal defendant, courts are generally not concerned with why the defendant committed the alleged crime, but whether the defendant committed the crime. However, a defendant's motive is important in other stages of a criminal case, such as police investigation and sentencing. Law enforcement personnel often consider potential motives in detecting perpetrators. Judges may consider the motives of a convicted defendant at sentencing and either increase a sentence based on avaricious motives or decrease the sentence if the defendant's motives were honorable — for example, if the accused acted in defense of a family member.

In criminal law, motive is distinct from intent. Criminal intent refers to the mental state of mind possessed by a defendant in committing a crime. With few exceptions the prosecution in a criminal case must prove that the defendant intended to commit the illegal act. The prosecution need not prove the defendant's motive. Nevertheless, prosecutors and defense attorneys alike may make an issue of motive in connection with the case.

For example, if a defendant denies commission of the crime, he may produce evidence showing that he had no motive to commit the crime and argue that the lack of motive supports the proposition that he did not commit the crime. By the same token, the prosecution may produce evidence that the defendant did have the motive to commit the crime and argue that the motive supports the proposition that the defendant committed the crime. Proof of motive, without more evidence tying a defendant to the alleged crime, is insufficient to support a conviction.

A hate crime is one crime that requires proof of a certain motive. Generally, a hate crime is motivated by the defendant's belief regarding a protected status of the victim, such as the victim's religion, sex, disability, customs, or national origin. In states that prosecute hate crimes, the prosecution must prove that the defendant was motivated by animosity toward a protected status of the victim. Hate-crime laws are exceptions to the general rule that proof of motive is not required in a criminal prosecution.

In civil law a plaintiff generally need not prove the respondent's motive in acting or failing to act. One notable exception to this general rule is the tort of malicious prosecution. In a suit for malicious prosecution, the plaintiff must prove, in part, that the respondent was motivated by malice in subjecting the plaintiff to a civil suit. The same applies for a malicious criminal prosecution.

Tutor's tip: The red and purple flower "motif" (a figure in a design) of the wallpaper was his "motive" (the inner drive that causes one to act) for moving out of the house.

Quotes:

"Let it be your constant method to look into the design of people's actions, and see what they would be at, as often as it is practicable; and to make this custom the more significant, practice it first upon yourself." - Marcus Aurelius

"Never ascribe to an opponent motives meaner than your own." - Sir James M. Barrie

"We are all selfish and I no more trust myself than others with a good motive." - Lord Byron

"Every woman is supposed to have the same set of motives, or else to be a monster." - George Eliot

"A person who is keen to shake your hand usually has something up his sleeve." - Sir Alec Guiness

"To read between the lines was easier than to follow the text." - Henry James

See more famous quotes about Motives

Look up motive or motif in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Motive is an alternate spelling of motif, and may refer to:

In a creative work:

• Motive art movement, a philosophical artistic movement started by the artist Blake Ward

In psychology:

• Base motive, in psychology

In music:

• Motive (album), a 1990 album by Red Box
• Motive (SAHB album), a 1990 album by the Sensational Alex Harvey Band
• The Motive, a punk band

In film:

• Motives_(film), a 2004 film

In computing:

• Motive, Inc., a software manufacturer

In other uses:

• Motive (law), in criminal law
• Motive (algebraic geometry)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - motiv, årsag
adj. - bevægende
v. tr. - motivere

Nederlands (Dutch)
motief, beweegreden, beweging veroorzakend, bewegend

Français (French)
n. - (gén) motif, (Littérat) thème, (Jur) mobile
adj. - moteur, (fig) à l'origine
v. tr. - motiver

Deutsch (German)
n. - Motiv, (Mus.) Motiv, Beweggrund
v. - motivieren
adj. - bewegend, Antriebs...

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - κίνητρο, αίτιο, (μτφ.) ελατήριο
v. - εξωθώ, παρέχω κίνητρο, αιτιολογώ

Italiano (Italian)
motivo

Português (Portuguese)
n. - motivo (m)
v. - motivar

Русский (Russian)
повод, лейтмотив, движущий, двигательный

Español (Spanish)
n. - motivo, móvil, tema
adj. - motor, motriz
v. tr. - motivar, incentivar

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - motiv
v. - motivera

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
动机, 目的, 主旨, 主题, 运动的, 成为动机的, 使产生动机, 激起

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 動機, 目的, 主旨, 主題
adj. - 運動的, 成為動機的
v. tr. - 使產生動機, 激起

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 원인
adj. - 원인의, 기동의
v. tr. - 동기를 부여하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 動機, 目標, 主題
adj. - 行動を起こさせる, 起動の
v. - 動機を与える, 誘導する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) حافز, دافع (فعل) يحفز‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מניע, תנע, מוטיב, גורם, נושא באמנות, בספרות או במוסיקה‬
adj. - ‮מתכוון לבצע תנועה, נוגע לתנועה‬
v. tr. - ‮הניע, המריץ, דחף‬

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