W3 Chapter 5.3 - Studies of Specific Dispositional Motives

Question 1

What is the picture story exercise?

Answer 1

Any one of a family of tests that uses stories written about pictures to assess motive strength through narrative fantasy

Question 2

What is the picture story exercise (PSE) used for?

Answer 2

To study motive dispositions.

Question 3

What are the four types of motive dispositions?

Answer 3

1. Achievement
2. Power
3. Affiliation
4. Intimacy

Question 4

What is Achievement motivation?

Answer 4

The desire to do things well, to feel pleasure in overcoming obstables

Question 5

What types of tasks do people low in need for achievement choose

Answer 5

very easy and very difficult tasks

Question 6

What types of tasks do people high in need for achievement choose?

Answer 6

moderately difficult tasks

Question 7

What is diagnosticity?

Answer 7

The extent to which a task provides information about something

Question 8

What four characteristics does the need for achievement lead to?

Answer 8

1. greater persistence in the face of failure
2. better task performance
3. higher grades
4. greater educational achievement

Question 9

What is power motivation?

Answer 9

The need to have influence over other people

Question 10

What two picture story exercise (PSE) images reflect the need for power?

Answer 10

1. forceful, vigorous actions
2. have status

Question 11

What four behaviours follow from a power motive?

Answer 11

1. seeking positions of authority
2. surrounding themselves with symbols of power
3. seeking enhanced reputation
4. narcissism

Question 12

What three behaviours does a high need for power predict in men?

Answer 12

1. stronger negotiators
2. more effective managers
3. having a dependent wife

Question 13

What behaviour does a high need for power predict in women?

Answer 13

greater power-related job satisfaction

Question 14

What is the biological response of failure for people with a high need for power?

Answer 14

Increase in the stress hormone cortisol

Question 15

What are the two sex hormones released in men and women, respectively, that are shown to increase after a success in people with a high need for power?

Answer 15

Testosterone and estradiol

Question 16

What external factor leads to positive (prosocial) expressions of a high need for power

Answer 16

When a person has a strong sense of social responsibility

Question 17

What is the affiliation motive?

Answer 17

The need to form and maintain relationships and to be with people

Question 18

How is the need for affiliation reflected in picture story exercise (PSE)?

Answer 18

in concern over acceptance by others, and by active attempts to establish positive relationships

Question 19

What four characteristics as associated with the affiliation motive?

Answer 19

1. desire to seem agreeable
2. more likely to make concessions
3. more likely to initiate contacts and establish friendships
4. nervousness over thinking others are judging their interpersonal skills

Question 20

What three behaviours follow from a high affiliation motive?

Answer 20

1. make more phone calls
2. more likely to engage in random social activity
3. express a wish to interact with others when alone

Question 21

What is the intimacy motive?

Answer 21

The need for close communication and sharing with someone else

Question 22

What correlation did McAdams and Constantian (1983) report between the need for intimacy and affiliation?

Answer 22

0.58

Question 23

What four behaviours reflect the intimacy motive?

Answer 23

1. increased one to one exchanges with others instead of large group interactions
2. increased self-disclosure
3. increased laughter, smiling and eye contact
4. decreased desire to dominate a social interaction

Question 24

What two types of disclosure does the need for intimacy entail?

Answer 24

1. self-disclosure
2. partner disclosure

Question 25

What is inhibited power motivation?

Answer 25

The condition of having more need for power than for affiliation but restraining its use

Question 26

In what two areas do people with inhibited power motivation succeed?

Answer 26

1. management
2. persuasion