Motivation

Question 1

What did Chamorro-Premuzic (2013) define motivation as?

Answer 1

An internal state that:
- Drives people into action
- Energises, directs and perpetuates behaviour
- Is directed towards satisfaction of needs
- If unsatisfied, will generate state of physiological and/or psychological arousal
- Is dynamic

Question 2

Murray’s (1938) Model of Motivation

Answer 2

Press + Need -> Motive -> Behaviour

Question 3

What is “Press” in Murray’s (1938) Model of Motivation?

Answer 3

Situational conditions/events

Question 4

What are Primary & Secondary/Psychogenic Needs in Murray’s (1938) Model of Motivation?

Answer 4

Primary needs: biological in nature (food)
Secondary/Psychogenic needs: derived from biology &/or psychology (nurturance & achievement)
- 20 psychogenic needs proposed on basis of extensive data collection from 50 pps

Question 5

What are the 3 Secondary needs?

Answer 5

Need for Achievement, Affiliation, Power

Question 6

What is McClelland’s acquired needs theory?

Answer 6

• The 3 needs measured with TAT
• Projective tests (e.g., ink blots) considered appropriate for motivation research due to implicit nature of motives

Question 7

What is TAT?

Answer 7

Thematic Apperception Test

Question 8

What are some potential sub-components of the 3 secondary needs?

Answer 8

Schultheiss (2008): Hope and fear components of motives

Question 9

What did Schultheiss (2008) find in terms of the need for achievement and preferences?

Answer 9

• Preference for tasks of moderate difficulty that indicate ability
• Preference for work settings with frequent feedback on current vs previous performance

Question 10

What study did Bradburn & Berlew (1961) carry out in terms of economic growth and need for achievement?

Answer 10

• Estimated societal level of need for achievement in England using content analysis of popular literature
• Scored extracts for achievement imagery
• Estimated economic activity through coal imports

Question 11

What were the results of Bradburn & Berlew (1961)’s study?

Answer 11

• Levels of need for achievement are followed 50 years later by changes in coal imports

Question 12

What did Schultheiss (2008) find in terms of need for power?

Answer 12

• Can reflect desire to influence and have impact, not just dominate and control
• Can be expressed through generativity (caring for next generation)
• Higher testosterone, sexual activity & aggression?

Question 13

What did Spangler & House (1991) find for Effective Leadership and Need for Power?

Answer 13

High need for power predicted presidential performance

Question 14

What did Schultheiss (2008) find in terms of Physiology of Need for Power?

Answer 14

High testosterone -> High need for power -> Engagement in Power-challenge situations -> Activation of sympathetic nervous system stress response -> chronic high blood pressure, lower immune function etc

Question 15

What study did McClelland, Alexander & Marks (1982) carry out looking at the negative health effects of need for power?

Answer 15

• Prison inmates measured using TAT, coded for need for power and affiliation
• Number of stressors experienced
• Number and severity of illnesses in past 12 months
• Saliva sample to measure salivary immunoglibin-A (S-IgA) as indicator of immune functioning

Question 16

What did McClelland, Alexander & Marks (1982) find in their study looking at the negative health effects of need for power?

Answer 16

Need for power with high stress level led to the highest mean illness severity & lowest S-IgA concentration

Question 17

What did Schultheiss (2008) find about the Need for Affiliation & Health?

Answer 17

• Associated with parasympathetic activity & increased immune functioning
• Generally positive effects on health

Question 18

Outline the study McClelland & Kirshnit (1988) carried out for Need for Affiliation & Health

Answer 18

• Needs measured using TAT before and after watching one of 2 short films
• Need for affiliation group primed further in post-film writing task about love and caring
• Levels of S-IgA measured before and after film
• Measured illness experienced that year

Question 19

What did McClelland & Kirshnit (1988) find in their study carried out for Need for Affiliation & Health?

Answer 19

• Evidence for protective effects of need for affiliation
• No overall effect of change in need for power
• Sub-group with inhibited power motive syndrome did show reduction in S-IgA after WWII film
• No link between reactive increase in S-IgA and illness history

Question 20

What is power motive syndrome?

Answer 20

High in need for power, low in need for affiliation