Motivation vs. Stimulation — What's the Difference?

Motivation is what explains why people or animals initiate, continue or terminate a certain behavior at a particular time. Motivational states are commonly understood as forces acting within the agent that create a disposition to engage in goal-directed behavior.

Stimulation is the encouragement of development or the cause of activity generally. For example, "The press provides stimulation of political discourse." An interesting or fun activity can be described as "stimulating", regardless of its physical effects on senses.

The act or process of motivating

To rouse to action or increased activity; excite

The state of being motivated; having a desire or willingness to act

To increase temporarily the activity of (a body organ or system, for example).

Something that motivates; an inducement, reason, or goal

To cause to be interested or engaged

Willingness of action especially in behavior.

To cause to desire to have sex; arouse sexually.

The action of motivating.

To excite or invigorate (a person, for example) with a stimulant.

Something which motivates.

To act or serve as a stimulant or stimulus.

An incentive or reason for doing something.

A pushing or goading toward action. 16

(advertising) A research rating that measures how the rational and emotional elements of a commercial affect consumer intention to consider, visit, or buy something.

(biology) Any action or condition that creates a response; sensory input. 18

The act or process of motivating.

An activity causing excitement or pleasure; the act of stimulating.

The mental process that arouses an organism to action; as, a large part of a teacher's job is to give students the motivation to learn on their own.

The act of stimulating, or the state of being stimulated.

The goal or mental image of a goal that creates a motivation{2}; as, the image of a peaceful world is a powerful motivation for only a rare few individuals.

The irritating action of various agents (stimuli) on muscles, nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which activity is evoked; especially, the nervous impulse produced by various agents on nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which the part connected with the nerve is thrown into a state of activity; irritation.

The psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior;

The act of arousing an organism to action

The condition of being motivated;

Any stimulating information or event; acts to arouse action

The act of motivating; providing incentive

(physiology) the effect of a stimulus (on nerves or organs etc.)

Mutual sexual stimulation prior to sexual intercourse