The Structure of Motivation: Implications for Theory, Methods, and Practice

Abstract

Background
A unified model of human motivation has been recently introduced that integrates all prior “mini-theories” of motivation into a single, symmetrical model based on first principles: four life domains crossed by three levels of attainment, resulting in 12 discrete motivations. Evidence from a series of studies using a novel image-based method is used to test structural hypotheses derived from a unified model of human motivation.

Method
The studies employ large samples (810n to 986n) of working adults who conducted a time-constrained image-based exercise to measure the relative presence or absence of different emotional needs.

Results
These studies provide support for the theoretical model, suggesting that there is substantial heuristic and practical value in a structured framework of motivating needs.

Conclusions
Findings suggest that our theoretical model reflects deep interrelationships between discrete types of human motivation, and by linking specific measures to a comprehensive model of human motivation, researchers can have confidence that they have adequately measured the motivation construct.