An evaluation of valence models of motivation to pursue various post high school alternatives

Abstract

Within-subjects analyses were used to evaluate the ability of a valence model of motivation to predict the post high school plans of 493 students. Valence models including only existence, relatedness, and growth outcomes ( C.P. Alderfer, Existence, relatedness, and growth: Human needs in organizational settings. New York: The Free Press, 1972 ) were compared with a valence model including all three types of outcomes. In addition, predictions based on Σ VI model and predictions based only on instrumentalities were compared. The use of growth outcomes alone resulted in the best prediction of post high school plans, and multiplying instrumentalities by valences yielded approximately the same predictions as did the use of instrumentalities alone. In addition, there was evidence that predictions based on the valence model were less accurate than predictions which included measures of academic achievement and parental income as well as valences.