Unconscious Motivation

Came across an interesting article on Wikipedia:

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Motivation. The reason(s) for engaging in a particular behavior which may include basic needs, a desired object, hobbies, goal, state of being or ideal.

Some psychologists believe that a significant portion of human behavior is energized and directed by unconscious motives. For example, some overweight people are not really hungry for food but for attention and love. Eating is merely a defensive reaction to lack of attention. Some workers damage more equipment than others because they harbor unconscious feelings of aggression toward authority figures.

Sometimes maintaining self-esteem is so important and the motive for an activity is so threatening that it is simply not recognized. In fact, it may be disguised or repressed. Rationalization is one such disguise. Another one is projecting or attributing one's own faults to others.

Repression of powerful but socially unacceptable motives may result in outward behavior that is the opposite of the repressed tendencies. An example would be the employee who hates his boss but overworks himself on the job to show that he holds him in high regard.

Although few contemporary psychologists deny the existence of unconscious factors, many do believe that these are activated only in times of anxiety and stress. In the ordinary course of events, human behavior (from the subject's point of view) is rationally purposeful.

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Hmm, this might explain the state I am in now ...