Assessment of implicit motives with a research version of the TAT: picture profiles, gender differences, and relations to other personality measures

Four hundred twenty-eight participants wrote imaginative stories in response to 6 picture cues of a research version of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT; Morgan & Murray, 1935). Story protocols were coded for n (need) Power, n Achievement, and n Affiliation using Winter's (1991) integrated scoring system that provided detailed information about the motive profiles of individual picture cues. In general, picture cues differed strongly from each other with regard to how many scorable instances of power, achievement, or affiliation imagery they elicited. The n Affiliation, but not n Power, n Achievement, or activity inhibition--a measure of impulse control--was found to be higher in (a) women than in men and (b) individuals tested in a group than in individuals tested individually. TAT motive measures showed no significant overlap with questionnaire measures of motivational orientation (German Personality Research Form; Stumpf, Angleitner, Wieck, Jackson, & Beloch-Till, 1985) or traits (German NEO-Five-Factor Inventory; Borkenau & Ostendorf, 1993).     

Motive congruence and interpersonal identity status

This article examines the relationship between interpersonal ego identity formation and congruence of self-attributed and implicit affiliation motives. A TAT-type picture-story test, the Personality Research Form, and the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status were administered to 177 participants to assess data on affiliation motivation and interpersonal identity formation. According to a scoring system developed by Winter, the picture stories were coded for need for Affiliation. Analyses revealed that motive congruence is significantly associated with participants' level of identity achievement and identity foreclosure in the interpersonal domain. Such a relationship could not be identified for identity diffusion and moratorium.     

Women in power-themed tasks: Need for power predicts task enjoyment and power stress

The implicit power motive predicts individuals’ involvement in activities that allow them to have impact and influence on other people. Moreover, substantial evidence indicates that thwarting individuals’ implicit power motive relates to so-called power stress. The present series of studies addresses both topics among female participants. In study 1, findings indicate that the strength of the implicit power motive moderates the relationship between women’s self-reported dominance and their evaluations of a power-related task: A significant link between self-reported dominance and both motivation for task participation and task enjoyment could be verified only when the implicit power motive was well-pronounced. In the subsequent studies, actual and anticipated thwarting of the satisfaction of a strong implicit power motive was associated with different psychological and behavioral indicators of power stress. Participants with a high implicit power motive felt more negative affect (study 2), reported more negative explicit (study 3) and implicit (study 4) attitudes towards a dominant target person, and were coded more often for visible frown reactions (study 5) when the satisfaction of their implicit power motive was (potentially) thwarted compared to participants with a low implicit power motive and participants with a high implicit power motive that was, however, not at risk of being thwarted.

     

基于自我决定视角的动机结构与主观幸福感的关系*

从自我决定的视角,探讨了内隐和外显成就动机的不一致性对主观幸福感产生影响的可能机制。分别以成就动机量表和内隐联想测验作为成就动机的外显和内隐测量方式,同时采用自我决定量表和总体幸福感指数量表对303名大学生进行了施测。结果表明:（1）大学生内隐成就动机和外显成就动机没有显著相关;（2）外显成就动机与主观幸福感呈显著正相关,内隐成就动机调节了外显成就动机与主观幸福感的关系;（3）不一致性成就动机结构对主观幸福感有显著的负向预测,自我决定在不一致性成就动机结构对主观幸福感的预测效应中起着部分中介作用。     

The mediating role of work climate perceptions in the relationship between personality and performance

Although past research has demonstrated a link between personality and job performance, potential enabling factors of this relationship have yet to be explored comprehensively. We hypothesized that perceptions of work climate, specifically relationship dimensions—cohesion, supervisor support, and job involvement—might be the mechanism through which the relationship between personality and job performance can be explained. Two hundred and thirty Australian employees completed an online survey measuring personality, relationship dimensions of work climate (job involvement, coworker cohesion, and supervisor support) and job performance. Results revealed that the relationship dimensions of work climate fully mediated the relationship between agreeableness and job performance, and extraversion and job performance, while the relationship between neuroticism and job performance was partially mediated by relationship dimensions of work climate. Supervisor support primarily accounted for this mediated effect for the neuroticism–job performance relationship, whereas for extraversion only job involvement explained significant unique variance. Our findings suggest that the relationship of agreeableness, extraversion, and neuroticism with job performance is indirect, and perceptions of the work environment itself play a role in this relationship. This implies that organizations should consider the work environment, in addition to personality during selection procedures. Future research should examine whether different levels of work environment dimensions, foster greater job performance in employees.     

Power and affiliation motivation, stress, and abuse in intimate relationships

The associations among n Power, n Affiliation, inhibition, stressful life events, and infliction and receipt of psychological and physical abuse in intimate relationships were investigated in a sample of 48 male and 107 female college undergraduates. Results indicated that life events that were perceived as being negative were associated with both the infliction and the receipt of abuse for women but not for men. Individual personality characteristics determined the tactics used in resolving intimate interpersonal conflicts. High n Power was significantly associated with the infliction of physical abuse on their partners by men, but not by women. For women, n Affiliation and activity inhibition moderated the effect that stress has on the infliction of abuse. Highly stressed women with high n Affiliation and low activity inhibition were the most likely to inflict abuse. Length and status of relationship were also found to be related to abuse, with abuse occurring most often between more committed couples. Sex differences were found for the relation between infliction and receipt of abuse. That is, receipt of abuse was highly correlated with infliction of abuse for women but not for men, suggesting that when women strike out they are struck in return.     

The relationship of motive disposition and situational incentives to individual differences in choking under pressure

Motive disposition theory posits that individuals exhibit stable differences in their achievement, affiliation, and power motives – shaping their capacity to perceive performance, social affiliative, or competitive contexts as rewarding. Whereas this approach has been employed in research on individual differences in motor performance, it has not been considered in predicting individual differences in choking under pressure. Typical pressure manipulations often use competitive or team settings which also constitute prime examples of power and affiliation incentives. Consequently, we hypothesized participants' affiliation (vs. power) motive to be related to golf putting performance in team (vs. competitive) settings. In addition, due to the performance feedback provided by the task, it should also generally appeal to participants high in achievement motivation. Specifically, after a familiarization phase a total of 115 participants completed a baseline assessment of golf putting performance, followed by an experimental block manipulating the task's incentives (competition, team, control) between participants. Analysis of participants' previously assessed motives revealed that both participants' affiliation and achievement motive were positively related to performance (variable error) under pressure. No effects emerged for the power motive. These findings highlight the role of personality differences in predicting motor performance variability in pressure situations. We discuss the specific contributions of projective and self-report motive measures and touch upon possible avenues for coaches and practitioners to counter choking effects.     

父母学业参与、父母学业压力与青少年早期的学业投入:有调节的中介模型

为探讨父母学业参与和学业压力与青少年早期学业投入之间的关系,考察成就目标取向的中介作用,以及学业成就水平在该中介过程中的调节作用,对2487名初一学生进行测查,结果发现：（1）父母学业参与正向预测青少年早期个体的学业投入、负向预测学业抽离,父母学业压力正向预测学业抽离;（2）掌握目标取向在父母学业参与和青少年早期的学业投入之间起正向中介作用,在父母学业参与和学业抽离间发挥负向中介作用;表现回避目标取向在父母学业压力和学业抽离间具有正向中介作用;（3）掌握目标取向的中介作用受到学业成就水平的调节。研究结果揭示了父母学业参与和学业压力对青少年早期的学业投入的共同作用,为从家庭层面提高青少年的学业投入水平提供了参考。     

父母学业参与、父母学业压力与青少年早期的学业投入:有调节的中介模型

为探讨父母学业参与和学业压力与青少年早期学业投入之间的关系,考察成就目标取向的中介作用,以及学业成就水平在该中介过程中的调节作用,对2487名初一学生进行测查,结果发现：（1）父母学业参与正向预测青少年早期个体的学业投入、负向预测学业抽离,父母学业压力正向预测学业抽离;（2）掌握目标取向在父母学业参与和青少年早期的学业投入之间起正向中介作用,在父母学业参与和学业抽离间发挥负向中介作用;表现回避目标取向在父母学业压力和学业抽离间具有正向中介作用;（3）掌握目标取向的中介作用受到学业成就水平的调节。研究结果揭示了父母学业参与和学业压力对青少年早期的学业投入的共同作用,为从家庭层面提高青少年的学业投入水平提供了参考。     

卷入影响广告理性诉求信息加工效果的眼动研究

使用眼动技术,考察了卷入的两方面（个人卷入与产品卷入）共同对广告理性诉求信息加工效果的影响。研究发现：（1）随着个人卷入或产品卷入度的提高,被试获得的广告信息显著增加。（2）仅在产品卷入度高时,强说服证据理性诉求广告的品牌信息所获得的加工深度才明显优于弱说服证据者;同时,只有当个人卷入度高时,产品卷入度高的商品信息所获得的加工才明显比产品卷入度低者更为精细。这说明,广告理性诉求方式可能主要适宜于宣传产品卷入度高的商品,且只有当个人卷入度高时才可能更为有效     

Get a Taste of Your Goals: Promoting Motive–Goal Congruence Through Affect-Focus Goal Fantasy

ABSTRACT Studies show that motive–goal congruence is an important predictor of well-being ( Baumann, Kaschel, & Kuhl, 2005; Brunstein, Schultheiss, & Grässmann, 1998 ). However, little is known about the factors that promote congruence between implicit motives and goals. Relying on McClelland's (1985) concept of implicit motives and the theory of fantasy realization ( Oettingen, 1999 ), we postulated that goal fantasies focusing on motive-specific affective incentives promote motive-congruent goal setting. This hypothesis was tested in 3 experimental studies. In Study 1 ( n =46) and Study 2 ( n =48), participants were asked to select goals in a hypothetical scenario. In Study 3 ( n =179), they rated their commitment to personal goals for their actual life situation. The results of all 3 studies supported our hypothesis that participants who focus on motive-specific affective incentives in their goal fantasies set their goals in line with their corresponding implicit motive dispositions.     

Discrepancies Between Implicit and Explicit Motivation and Unhealthy Eating Behavior

ABSTRACT Many people change their eating behavior as a consequence of stress. One source of stress is intrapersonal psychological conflict as caused by discrepancies between implicit and explicit motives. In the present research, we examined whether eating behavior is related to this form of stress. Study 1 (N=53), a quasi‐experimental study in the lab, showed that the interaction between the implicit achievement motive disposition and explicit commitment toward an achievement task significantly predicts the number of snacks consumed in a consecutive taste test. In cross‐sectional Study 2 (N=100), with a sample of middle‐aged women, overall motive discrepancy was significantly related to diverse indices of unsettled eating. Regression analyses revealed interaction effects specifically for power and achievement motivation and not for affiliation. Emotional distress further partially mediated the relationship between the overall motive discrepancy and eating behavior.     

Goal Imagery: Bridging the Gap Between Implicit Motives and Explicit Goals

Two studies examined the role of goal imagery (i.e., the perception-like mental representation of the pursuit and attainment of a goal) in establishing congruence between individuals' implicit motives and their inclination to pursue explicit goals assigned to them. Study 1 found that after a goal-imagery exercise, implicit needs for power and affiliation predicted participants' affective arousal and their commitment to a social-interaction goal furnished with power- and affiliation-related incentives. In Study 2, implicit power motivation predicted the level of performance participants achieved in pursuit of a competitive performance goal after a goal-imagery exercise. Without goal imagery, however, participants' motivation to pursue an explicit goal was independent of their implicit motive dispositions in both studies.     

Achievement motive and sport participation

Three studies investigated the relationship between the achievement motive and sport participation. It was expected that both the implicit and the explicit achievement motives are positively associated with how frequently people engage in sport activities. The implicit achievement motive was assessed with indirect motive measures; the explicit achievement motive was either inferred from participants’ personal goals or measured with self-reports. Two hundred five athletes participated including college students enrolled in leisure sport programs offered at their university (Study 1), amateur athletes registered in sports clubs (Study 2), and elite tennis athletes (Study 3). The implicit achievement motive consistently predicted sport participation in all three studies. In contrast, the explicit achievement motive was uncorrelated with sport participation. The interaction between the two motives did not yield an effect on sport participation. The results indicate that the implicit, unconscious need to achieve facilitates regular engagement in sport activities, but the explicit, conscious orientation toward achievement does not. The enrichment of sports environments with incentives for the implicit achievement motive may thus attract more people to participate in sport activities.     

中国管理心理学发展的回顾和展望

本文以 1 980年中国心理学会工业心理学专业委员会成立为标志 ,总结了 1 5年来我国工业心理学的主要成就 ,并从激励、人员测评、领导行为、管理决策和跨文化研究等方面概述了中国管理心理学的发展 ,提出了今后值得研究的若干课题。本文最后指出 ,从我国企业的实际问题着手 ,不断积累资料 ,提出自己的理论 ,同时以我为主 ,借鉴国外的研究成果 ,在企业实际中不断检验和修正理论 ,是我国管理心理学的发展方向。     

Seeking flow in the achievement domain: The achievement flow motive behind flow experience

The authors propose a flow motive behind flow experience. It is defined as the intrinsic component of the achievement motive (i.e., need to seek and master difficulty), assessed with an operant motive test (OMT), and investigated with a multimethod approach. The achievement flow motive was stable over 2 years (Study 1) and positively correlated with the following variables: self-determination (Study 2), work-efficiency according to multisource feedbacks (Study 3), and flow experience during an outdoor assessment center (Study 4). In addition, the achievement flow motive was associated with the simultaneous presence of two sets of overt behaviors: Seeing difficulty (planning, analytical problem solving, and task focus) and mastering difficulty (high commitment, spreading optimism, and staying power). The direct relationship between achievement flow motive and flow experience was mediated by this behavioral pattern (Study 4). The achievement flow motive offers researchers a way to operationalize Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of autotelic personality.     

互联网使用动机、行为与其社会-心理健康的模型构建

以581名大学生为被试,采用结构方程模型技术构建了互联网使用动机、病理性互联网使用行为与其相关社会-心理健康的关系模型。其中,互联网使用动机包括信息获取性动机和人际情感性动机两种模式;病理性互联网使用行为包括上网冲动性、分离/逃避和网上优越感三个初级因素;互联网相关社会-心理健康包括孤独感、社会参与度、一般抑郁、生活幸福感和生活满意度五个初级因素,并进一步概括为社会健康和心理健康两个维度。研究结果表明,基于信息获取性动机而使用互联网有助于相关社会-心理健康水平的提高;基于人际情感性动机而使用互联网更容易导致病理性互联网使用行为,并由此对使用者的社会-心理健康产生负面影响;大学生使用互联网的积极效应大于消极效应,且信息获取性动机对社会健康具有更大的积极效应,而人际情感性动机对对心理健康具有更大的消极效应     

Factors affecting the birth and death of mutual-help groups: The role of national affiliation,professional involvement,and member focal problem

Examined the predictive relationship of three variables to the birth and death of mutual-help groups for a statewide New Jersey sample of 3,152 groups over a 2-year period. The three variables studied were group affiliation with a national mutual-help organization, local professional involvement in group activities, and group members' type of focal problem. Log-linear logit analysis revealed that the best-fitting model included Affiliation Status x Professional Involvement, and Affiliation Status x Focal Problem interactions. Among unaffiliated groups, professional involvement was related to lower group mortality, while among affiliated groups it was related to higher group mortality. Unaffiliated behavior control groups had higher odds for mortality and for birth than either unaffiliated life stress groups or unaffiliated medical groups. Among main effect findings, unaffiliated groups had consistently higher odds for birth than affiliated groups. The implications for research and action are discussed.     

青少年网络游戏与心理健康:动机的调节与中介

先前研究对游戏动机在网游与心理健康关系中的作用缺乏明确的认识,相关领域的研究也存在争议。通过实证研究发现:(1)成就和归属动机对网游-健康关系均具有显著的调节作用,但方向相反;成就动机具有类似防御的积极作用,归属动机的调节作用显示了以网游满足归属需要带来的消极后果;(2)享乐动机不完全中介了网游-健康关系(系数为负),以享乐动机的满足作为网游目的的人,较少沉迷于网络游戏,心理健康问题也较少。     

The Relationship between Temperament and Life Satisfaction in Early Adolescence: Cognitive and Behavioral Mediation Models

This study investigated the interrelationships among temperament, social self-efficacy, social competence, and life satisfaction in a sample of 160 early adolescents. A model was proposed based on previous research by Argyle and Lu (1990, Personality and Individual Differences 11, pp. 1255–1261) in which social competence mediates the relationship between temperament (i.e. extraversion and neuroticism) and life satisfaction. However, this study extended the work of Argyle and Lu by including an objective measure of social competence, in addition to a measure of social self-efficacy, to test as a potential mediator between temperament and life satisfaction. Results indicated that social self-efficacy mediated the relationship between extraversion and life satisfaction, but not between neuroticism and life satisfaction. Teacher-rated social competence did not mediate the effects of temperament on life satisfaction. The importance of integrating theories of trait psychology and cognitive psychology in adolescent life satisfaction research is discussed.