1. The Motive Perspective
Chapter Five
The Motive Perspective

2. Basic Elements Needs Manifestation of an internal state
Direct behavior
Reflect an unsatisfactory state of being
Derived from biological sources (primary)
Derived from psychological sources (secondary)
Need strength influences intensity of related behavior
Directive in nature
Positive needs (approach)
Negative needs (avoidance)

3. Basic Elements Motives Influenced by underlying need
Represent cognitive structures
Have affective overtones
Are more proximal to behavior than needs
Provide a venue through which motives operate
Pertain to goals and desires
Are ultimately reflected in actions

4. Basic Concepts Press Influence motives
Characterize an external event or condition
Act as trigger for motivational states
Example:
Need:
Water
Motivational State:
Thirst
Behavior:
Drink
Press:
Cold Lemonade

5. Murray’s System of Needs
Emphasizes universal needs
Focuses on secondary (psychological) needs
Recognizes differing dispositional need levels among individuals
Points out that:
Single behaviors can satisfy multiple needs
Needs can facilitate each other
Needs can conflict

6. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
Underlying assumptions:
Manifest needs = needs reflected in overt behavior
Latent needs = needs not reflected in behavior
Assesses latent needs
Presents an ambiguous picture
Provides a detailed story about picture (i.e., character’s thoughts, feelings, and relationships)
Latent needs are projected into the story’s content
Dispositional tendencies emerge over multiple pictures

7. Need for Achievement
Desire to do things well, to feel pleasure in overcoming obstacles
TAT images: obtaining goals, overcoming adversity, performing well
High need for achievement…
Associated with choice of moderately difficult tasks (diagnosticity)
Predicts higher performance in some domains
May be reflected culturally to influence economic growth
May result in behavior that is similar to that motivated by desire to avoid failure

8. Need for Power Desire to have an impact on others, to have
prestige, to feel strong
TAT images: vigorous action, concern about status, position, or self-image
High need for power…
Associated with patterns of friendship choice
Predicts behavior in interpersonal interactions
Manifests in less concessions in negotiations
May be manifested differently depending on sense of responsibility
High responsibility = conscientious pursuit of power
Low responsibility = profligate, impulsive pursuit of power

9. Need for Affiliation Desire to spend time with others
TAT images: concern about acceptance by others, attempts to establish and maintain relationships
High need for affiliation…
Associated with more agreeableness and concern over being liked
Predicts time engaged in social activities
Experiences most relationship satisfaction if matched with another who is high in need for affiliation
May reflect more specific needs:
Social comparison • Positive stimulation
Emotional support • Attention from others

10. Need for Intimacy
Desire to experience warm, close, and communicative exchanges with another person
TAT images: disclosing communication, sharing thoughts and feelings
More passive than need for affiliation
High need for intimacy…
Associated with more one-on-one interactions and self-disclosing interactions
Predicts amount of listening behavior
Associated with greater marriage and job satisfaction

11. Patterns of Needs Inhibited Power Motivation (IPM)
Low need for affiliation (want to influence people)
High need for power (doesn’t worry about being disliked)
Associated with non-technical managerial success
IPM imagery in politicians’ speeches preceded British wars

12. What Determines Behavior?
Behavior reflects:
a system of multiple needs
the changing balance of the relative intensity of needs at any given time
the fundamental influence of three superordinate needs
Need for Power
Need for Affiliation-Intimacy
Need for Achievement

13. Incentive Value The degree to which a given behavior can
satisfy a need
Determines how a motive expresses itself in behavior
Example: Need for Affiliation
Go to party Join a sorority Call a friend
Accounts for behavioral diversity
Relates to (conscious) choices of action within a domain ? ? ?

14. Issues in Assessment TAT Self-Reports Questionable reliability
Time consuming
Reflect implicit motives
Tied to desire for broad, primitive, affective experiences
Predict frequency of motive-relevant feelings
Self-Reports
Reflect self-attributed motives
Tied to desire for specific action goals
Predicts frequency of motive-relevant events

15. Motive and the Five-Factor Model
PRF shows some overlap with Five-Factor Model
TAT-derived motives show less overlap with Five-Factor Model than do self-attributed motives
Integrative approach (Winter et al.)
Motives are fundamental desires
Traits represent the channels through which motives are expressed

16. Behavior Change Key elements for change of problematic behavior
Identify underlying motive for problematic behavior
Identify alternative methods of satisfying motive
Key elements for increasing achievement motivation
Instruction to frequently use achievement imagery
Generalize imagery to all situations
Target specific, concrete actions