In general terms, motivation is a motivation for action.  Let us know what exactly happen to us during the process. At the level of the brain, this is a psychophysiological process that controls our behavior. Motivation and motivation is based on the work of the reward system that exists in the brain of all mammals. It is a collection of neural circuits and biochemical mechanisms that are responsible for regulating and controlling behavior. Basically, the reward system is designed to encourage us to strive for things that contribute to our survival and to avoid dangerous things that are more likely to lead to death or harm.

The biochemical key to the reward system is dopamine, known as the pleasure hormone. This neurotransmitter is involved in many mechanisms, including the mechanisms of learning and retention of skills, but its basic function is to provide us with a sense of pleasure. Dopamine contributes to our survival by encouraging biologically “beneficial” behaviors.


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[Source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/make-this-day-great-quote-board-2255441/)


The primary stimuli to which our reward system responds unconditionally and immediately are biologically determined: they are tied to the instincts of survival and reproduction. It is the joy of movement that produces dopamine; food - especially sweet and fatty, since it was the abundance of calories and fat throughout evolution that made it possible to survive; sex and various sexual stimuli, such as communication with nice people, kissing, affection; and the so-called parental investment - although this system does not work the same for everyone, affection and love for children, kittens and puppies are completely physiological.

Sometimes the dopamine system lets us down: the same primary stimulus can be drugs and any stimulants that physiologically stimulate the dopaminergic system, forcing it to produce this neurotransmitter or block its destruction until the system is depleted.

Complex constructions like “feeling of pride in the work done”, as we can see, are not included here. Learning, playing, making money, conventionally “attractive” looks, winning sports awards, and the like are a class of secondary, or external, rewards. In response to primary stimuli, dopamine is unconditionally released. But secondary or external stimuli work through learning, tying things not related to primary reward to the dopaminergic system.

Praise is associated with caring and raising a sense of self-worth. Anything that subjectively increases the status of an individual is indirectly associated with sexual stimuli when it comes to positive reinforcement (an increase in the hierarchy is perceived as a great attraction). Money is also perceived as a positive assessment, and wealth, again, strengthens the hierarchical status and subjectively makes us more attractive.

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[Source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/wood-marketing-man-hands-6476774/)

All this is a positive reinforcement - something that makes the brain generously release dopamine, which is sent to different departments, forcing to remember the circumstances in which pleasant events occurred, and subsequently strive to reproduce them.

In this case, only things that are directly related to primary stimuli are primary. That is, the taste of sugar or the feeling of orgasm is directly related to primary stimuli, but eating a cake after writing a report is not even a secondary, but a tertiary encouragement: we rated our actions as useful, since in the past we received praise for them (social stroking, promotion status, dopamine), and gave themselves a reward for it. Our reward system will bond the cake and the written report very weakly - maybe it's for the best.

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