Week 3: Chapter 5 The Motive Perspective

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Questions and Answers

What term did McClelland and colleagues use to refer to the motives measured by the PSE?

Self-attributed motives

Explicit motives

Incentives

Implicit motives (correct)

Which of the following best describes the relationship between implicit motives and self-attributed motives?

They are identical in what they measure.

Implicit motives are more basic and automatic. (correct)

Implicit motives are better predictors of decision making.

Self-attributed motives are primitive and instinctual.

In what type of situations are self-attributed motives better at predicting behavior?

Spontaneous situations

Unstructured settings

Situations with no clear goals

Structured settings (correct)

What does the implicit achievement motive primarily act as?

An energizer for effort Signup and view all the answers

Which motive is associated with how people seek information about their skills in comparison to others?

Self-attributed achievement motive Signup and view all the answers

Why did researchers create simpler self-report scales instead of using PSEs?

Self-reports are quicker and easier to score. Signup and view all the answers

What concept is described as the recurrent preferences for classes of affective experiences?

Implicit motives Signup and view all the answers

How do self-attributed motives differ from implicit motives in terms of individual awareness?

Self-attributed motives may not reflect true desires. Signup and view all the answers

What does a high dispositional need for achievement indicate about a person's behavior?

They will consistently engage in achievement-related behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect is NOT a factor considered in the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)?

Using direct questioning about personal motives. Signup and view all the answers

What might explain the difference in behavior between John and George regarding their motives?

John has a higher dispositional need for achievement than George. Signup and view all the answers

Henry Murray's approach to personality emphasizes the significance of which factor?

The role and hierarchy of needs and motives. Signup and view all the answers

How does John’s and George’s motive for achievement impact their overt behaviors over time?

John's need for achievement drives his behavior more frequently than George's. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary objective of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)?

To project an individual’s underlying motives through storytelling. Signup and view all the answers

The concept of apperception is best described as:

The process of perceiving stimuli influenced by personal experiences. Signup and view all the answers

What might be a reason for George's lower engagement in achievement-related behaviors?

His achievement motive rarely reaches a significant level. Signup and view all the answers

What did the research by Woike (1995) indicate about the relationship between implicit motives and feelings?

Strength of implicit motives predicted the frequency of feeling related to their respective motives. Signup and view all the answers

How do self-attributed motives function in relation to memory recall according to the studies mentioned?

They predict recall of general memories related to the self-concept. Signup and view all the answers

What issue can arise when implicit and explicit motives are incongruent?

It can create a stress response that adversely affects well-being. Signup and view all the answers

What did Baumann, Kaschel, and Kuhl (2005) suggest about explicit motives?

They can fit poorly with implicit motive dispositions. Signup and view all the answers

What is one outcome associated with motive discrepancies, according to research?

Unhealthy eating behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested to lead to optimal well-being?

Having explicit motives that are congruent with one's implicit motives. Signup and view all the answers

What did McClelland argue regarding implicit and self-attributed motives?

They are crucial but should be viewed separately. Signup and view all the answers

In what way do implicit motives forecast behavior compared to self-attributed motives?

They can predict different behavioral outcomes based on context. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Learning Objectives

Explain how needs, motives, and press govern how people seek out or respond to objects or situations in the environment
Analyze the motive viewpoint to understand why different people display quite different patterns of behavior over time
Relate four major motive dispositions to the behavior that they have been tied to
Distinguish between implicit and self-attributed motives and how each influences behavior
Compare approach and avoidance processes in the context of motives
Evaluate the similarities and differences between motives and traits
Summarize the work done by prominent researchers in the study of narratives
Outline implicit assessment of personality from the motive viewpoint
Examine the possibility of changing people's achievement motivation and the criticisms against it
Summarize criticisms of the motive approach to personality

Needs

Needs are internal states that are less than satisfactory, a lack of something necessary for well-being
Needs have associated goal objects; thirst requires water, not food
Some needs are biological (food, water, air, sex, pain avoidance)
Others derive from biological or psychological make-up (power, achievement, intimacy)
Biological needs become more intense over time, prompting action to satisfy the need

Motives

Motives are a step closer to behaviour, clusters of cognitions with affective overtones, organized around preferred experiences and goals
Motives appear in thoughts and preoccupations, either desired or undesired
Needs produce motives; the need for food creates the motive of hunger

Press

External influences on motives, internal conditions that prompt a desire to get or avoid something
A press can influence motives just like a need

Motive States and Motive Dispositions

Motives vary over time
People vary in enduring dispositional levels of motives
Dispositional levels of motives have large effects on behaviour
Motive dispositions form a picture of personality

Measuring Motives (TAT)

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): Participants view ambiguous pictures and create stories about them, reflecting implicit motives
Stories reveal implicit motives—underlying desires, hopes, or fears
Needs are projected into the story, reflecting the person's implicit needs

Motive Dispositions

Need for achievement: Desire to excel, overcome obstacles, and feel pleasure in overcoming them
Need for power: Desire to influence and impact others, to have prestige and feel strong
Need for affiliation: Desire to form friendly social ties, to experience warmth and closeness with others
Need for intimacy: Desire for warm, close meaningful relationships with another person, close and open sharing

Patterned Needs

Combination of several needs at once/in conjunction with other characteristics
Inhibited power motivation: A pattern combining low affiliation with high power needs and inhibiting the expression of the latter
Leadership, business success, and political stances linked to this pattern

Approach and Avoidance Motives

Motives exist as either approach or avoidance
Approach motives lead to actions that attempt to achieve something
Avoidance motives lead to activities oriented at avoiding something
Example: need for achievement has both approach (success) and avoidance (failure) components

Similarities and Differences between Motives and Traits

Motives: Fundamental desires, dynamic, varying
Traits: Stable, enduring characteristics, channel how desires are expressed
Motives and traits interact to produce behavior

Personology and Study of Narratives

Personology, study of individual lives, in depth and over extended periods
Individual narratives provide insights into personality
People's identities are reflected in coherent narratives across their lives
Motives influence decisions and actions that create these life stories

Assessment from the Motive Perspective

Implicit assessment of personality in individuals using methods which asses levels of motives
Procedure for Implicit Association Test (IAT)

Criticisms of Motive Approach

Arbitrary inclusion/exclusion of motives
Complex interaction of motives and other factors. People rarely display one motive at a time
Focus on individual lives, not necessarily useful for all populations
Requires in-depth analysis, potentially time-consuming and costly
Focus only on individual, not much broader societal influences

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Description

This quiz explores the intricate relationship between needs, motives, and behavior patterns in psychology. It covers key concepts such as implicit and self-attributed motives, the differences between motives and traits, and the influence of motives on achievement motivation. Additionally, it examines major researchers' contributions to the field of motives and personality.