How The ERG Theory Can Help You Motivate Students
Dhwani Shah
May 19, 2025
‧
7 min read
Let’s consider a scenario we’ve all debated in our heads: getting out of bed versus snoozing the alarm for an extra 5 minutes of sleep. Or the constant tug-of-war between hitting the gym and a relaxed hour of Netflix. People often say life is a game of discipline and consistency, but beneath it all lies one powerful factor: motivation. Be it in the realm of academics, career growth or just striving to be a better person, motivation is what keeps us going, shaping our decisions and pushing us to strive beyond the ordinary.
Many theories of motivation have evolved over the years as psychologists have tried to understand human motivation and how to optimize it, especially in educational and professional settings, the most famous one being Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
In this blog, we’re exploring another such theory, Alderfer’s ERG Theory of Motivation, and its implications in the field of education and learning. We’ll help you with practical ways of applying this theory in your classroom to improve student motivation, so you can bring out the best in your students and drive successful learning outcomes. But to understand the ERG Theory, we first need to know what Maslow’s Theory is all about.
Arguably one of the best-known motivation theories, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs organizes universal human needs into five ascending levels, from the most basic to the most advanced.
At the bottom of Maslow’s pyramid are physiological needs, those biological needs which are essential for survival (such as food, water, shelter). Moving up, we have safety needs, followed by love and belonging needs. Esteem needs (such as self-worth, recognition, respect) constitute the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy. The top of the pyramid represents the final level of human needs, self-actualization needs.
According to Abraham Maslow, the most basic needs must be met before people can move up the hierarchy to fulfil the more advanced needs. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs has been increasingly used in educational settings as a motivational strategy to drive results.
Children are fickle-minded by nature, their thoughts and moods changing every hour. Distractions come naturally, as their minds wander to playtime, friends, and other fleeting curiosities. Motivating students has never been an easy task, and the pandemic and digital age have only made this worse, drastically reducing attention spans and increasing overexposure to screens.
In such a scenario, every teacher has pondered over the seemingly simple but complex question of how to motivate students. It’s motivation that drives students to engage, excel and grow academically and personally, so finding the right motivational techniques can be a game-changer.
Theories of motivation are psychologically backed, and are developed based on rigorous scientific research and thorough observation and analysis of human behavior. Thus, employing these theories in the realm of teaching and learning can certainly benefit both you and your learners in achieving academic success. Let’s dive into how the ERG Theory of Motivation can be applied to teaching.
Clayton Alderfer, an American psychologist, remodeled Maslow’s Theory of Motivation into the ERG Theory of Motivation. This theory categorized the needs on Maslow’s pyramid into three broader groups of core needs that all humans are motivated by: existence (E), relatedness (R), and growth (G)—hence, the name ERG Theory.
Existence needs, as the name suggests, refer to basic material necessities required for existence. In other words, they are the fundamental requirements for living. Existence needs in the ERG Theory correspond to physiological needs (air, food, water, shelter) and safety and security needs (good health, secure employment, adequate resources) in Maslow’s hierarchy.
When it comes to students, existence needs relate to their physical well-being and sense of safety. This includes access to food, a comfortable learning environment, rest, and psychological safety from bullying or excessive stress.
Imagine the fans and air conditioner of a classroom stop working on a hot, sultry summer day. The unease and discomfort would not allow learners to concentrate, no matter how engaging the lesson. Or a scenario where the schedule for the end-of-year exams has not been shared with the students up until the week before the exams are due to begin. The uncertainty, and the stress that springs from it, would affect student learning and well-being.
"I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things." ~Mother Teresa
As humans, we have an innate desire to belong and to be part of a community, of something greater than ourselves. We are always craving connection, be it within family, peers, colleagues, or friends—a fact which was evidently brought to light during the pandemic.
Relatedness needs spring from this human desire for maintaining significant interpersonal relationships, be it with the people they know, or with the world at large. Alderfer’s Relatedness Needs align with Maslow's love and belonging needs (friendship, family, intimacy) and self-esteem needs (public fame, accomplishment, respect from others).
These needs reflect a student’s desire to belong, connect, and feel accepted by peers, teachers, and the class community. Students who feel isolated or rejected would not look forward to coming to school or class and therefore, are less likely to engage with learning.
After all worldly possessions have been achieved, comes the desire for something more, something bigger than material riches—the desire for personal growth. Growth needs describe our intrinsic aspiration to reach our full potential and to find fulfilment. These needs align with the other category of Maslow’s esteem-related needs (self-esteem, self-confidence, dignity) and self-actualization needs.
For learners, growth needs reflect the desire for self-improvement, both academically and emotionally. It encompasses seeking higher levels of knowledge and finding meaning in their education. It is what students seek beyond academic excellence—intellectual stimulation, creativity, and mastery.
The ERG Theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy both focus on the needs that drive human behavior. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs follows a rigid sequence—an individual must first satisfy a lower-level need before progressing onto the next level. Unless the lower-level needs are satisfied, a person will not move on to the next level. This would imply that educators should support students to achieve only one single need at a time.
The ERG Theory, however, is more flexible in this approach. According to Clayton Alderfer, individuals can pursue multiple needs at the same time and can even move between the different levels based on their circumstances and life views. Thus, an individual can pursue their growth needs even when their existence needs remain unsatisfied, a common example being an artist who may not be earning enough but is motivated to pursue their passion nonetheless, by their love for their art.
In the same way, teachers must understand that a student might have various needs that must be met simultaneously, especially in a fluid environment like a classroom, where emotions, peer relationships, and learning goals constantly interact and evolve.
Alderfer further proposed the frustration-regression principle in the ERG Theory, which explains that if a person cannot fulfil a higher-level need, for example growth, they may refocus or regress to a lower-level need like relatedness.
Consider a high-achieving student trying to achieve their growth needs by eagerly engaging themself in a personal science project. If their efforts go unrecognized, or the project is rejected for a competition, they may feel frustrated and discouraged. They may then regress or return to seek the fulfillment of relatedness needs in the form of emotional support and validation from friends and teachers instead of continuing to challenge themselves academically. Now, suppose the classroom environment is competitive or isolating, making it hard for them to feel connected or supported, the student may further regress to existence needs.
Understanding the blend of student needs can help teachers develop and adopt frameworks that can better identify and support learners and their requirements. It’s important to keep an eye out for regression signals and respond promptly, yet flexibly. Instead of assuming all students are on the same developmental path and following a one-size-fits-all approach, the ERG Theory promotes a more holistic, personalized and empathetic teaching approach that addresses student motivation at multiple levels simultaneously and meets them where they are.
Lastly, there are several other motivational strategies for students that educators can employ to propel students towards their goals. Be it applying motivational theories like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs or Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory in the classroom, or using innovative strategies like gamification, progress charts and other learning incentives, these methods can engage and inspire students to learn and grow.
For educators like you, who are dedicated to student growth and success, Classcard offers the perfect solution for seamless student and class management. Classcard’s feature-rich and easy-to-use class management software eliminates the hassle of daily admin tasks such as class scheduling, booking, attendance, payment reminders and communication, so you can focus on what matters most: teaching. Classcard also offers a unique suite of features like virtual classroom integrations and resource sharing capabilities which are specifically tailored to the needs of teaching and learning and tutoring businesses. If you’re keen to explore how we can simplify your workflow, book a free demo with us today—we promise, you’ll love it!