On the other hand, if we met and I could even begin to understand his motivation.

That was all he needed to know in order to understand his leaders' motivation.

What makes you think girls and old ladies don't understand your motivation?

Watching my mother in action, I had never understood her motivation.

He could not understand their motivation and found it hard to manage them.

But how to understand a terrorist's motivation is a matter of debate.

I understand the author's motivation; it is hard to let go of the universe one has created.

I was only surprised that she wrote the entire piece without trying to understand his deeper motivations.

Most likely, they were capable of understanding his motivations in ways that humans had not.

Have you talked to them to understand their motivations?