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Vocabulary of Motive

Vocabulary of motive is an individual's explanation of his motivation or the motivation of others. Hans Gerth and C Wright Mills proposed this concept as a sociological alternative to the psychological conception of motive.

Sociologically as Max Weber put it, a motive is a term in a vocabulary which appears to the actor himself and /or to the observer to be an adequate reason for his conduct.

conception grasps the intrinsically social character of motivation: a satisfactory or adequate motive is one that satisfies those who question some act or program whether the actor questions his own or another conduct.

The words which may fulfil this function are limited to the vocabulary of motives acceptable for given situations by given social circles.Along with the conduct patterns appropriate for various occasions we learn their appropriate motives and these are the motives we use in dealing with others and with ourselves.