An advanced cognitive model in social psychology that focuses on understanding how people interpret their own or others’ behavior in terms of underlying motivations and goals. In other words, we don’t just identify the cause of a behavior (internal or external), but we also seek to understand the underlying intention and motivation and the extent to which that motivation is consistent with personal or social goals. Motivational attribution theory states that the explanation of human behavior is not only limited to an obvious cause, but also includes the intrinsic and extrinsic motives behind it. A deep understanding of these motives helps a person to consciously interact with other people, improve communication and motivate the desired behavior in the social and professional environment.