Individual Differences In Motivation Research Articles

Why do people prefer gratitude journaling over gratitude letters? The influence of individual differences in motivation and personality on web-based interventions

Why do people prefer gratitude journaling over gratitude letters? The influence of individual differences in motivation and personality on web-based interventions

Social norms versus social motives: the effects of social influence and motivation to control prejudiced reactions on the expression of prejudice

This study examined how individual differences in motivation to control prejudiced reactions (MCPR) affected one's sensitivity to social norms regarding the expression of gay rights attitudes. After measuring their political beliefs and MCPR, pro-gay rights and anti-gay rights participants took part in a discussion where they faced discussion groups that either opposed their position unanimously or nonunanimously (i.e., four opposing confederates vs. three opposing confederates and one undecided confederate). Anti-gay rights individuals showed more conformity overall, especially when high in MCPR. Anti-gay rights individuals also showed norm-consistent attitude change, regardless of MCPR, whereas attitude change among pro-gay rights individuals depended upon their level of MCPR.

Relationships between Individual Differences in Motivation and Borderline Personality Disorder, Psychopathy, and Maladjustment

Two studies investigate relationships between individual differences in motivation and borderline personality disorder, psychopathy, and maladjustment. Participants completed the Brief Assessment of Individual Motives 1--Revised, a measure of 15 putative evolved motives (i.e., "traits of action"). In Study 1, N = 147 adult participants also completed the Borderline Personality Questionnaire and Self-Report Psychopathy III Questionnaire (SRP III). In Study 2, N = 135 college age participants also completed the SRP III and the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62. Regression analyses suggested that individual differences in motivational traits account for moderate amounts of variance in measures of antisocial personality disorder, psychopathy, and maladjustment. They also suggested that lower motivation to engage in cooperative behaviors (e.g., sharing resources and forming coalitions) is related to impaired interpersonal relationships and maladjustment.

Do information-rich contexts reduce knowledge inequalities? The contextual determinants of political knowledge in Europe

This article makes a contribution to the study of the determinants of political knowledge from a comparative perspective. Along with the usual suspects explaining knowledge at the individual level (that is, individual differences in motivation, ability and exposure to political news in the media), this article analyses the extent to which socio-economic, political and communicational contexts affect what people know about politics. More importantly, the article analyses whether information-rich contexts contribute towards reducing inequalities in knowledge. The results are obtained via two-level hierarchical linear models using the 2009 European Election Studies, Voter Study and confirm that citizens’ levels of political knowledge are driven by the context. They also demonstrate that information-rich environments crucially narrow knowledge inequalities between high- and low-status citizens. These findings thus suggest that socio-economic policies have the capacity to alter the balance between the information-rich and the information-poor.

"Gender, Age, Trust and Fear of Knowledge Disclosure: The Case of an Innovation Tournament Platform"

Recent literature on knowledge transfer started to recognize the importance of individual differences in motivation and ability. Nevertheless, we still do not know whether age and gender differences exist in knowledge sharing behavior. We proposed that older people and female have significantly less fear of opportunistic behavior in knowledge disclosure. We explain this relationship by the better emotional regulation and stronger prosocial orientation that aging brings and gender differences in perceptions about the sincerity and good intentions of others. By surveying 646 solvers in the unique context of an online innovation tournament platform, we show strong empirical evidence for the proposed relationships. In doing so, we address the recent advances in the organizational management of knowledge and provide several important theoretical implications for the knowledge literature.

Individual differences in motives, preferences, and pathology in video games: the gaming attitudes, motives, and experiences scales (GAMES)

A new measure of individual habits and preferences in video game use is developed in order to better study the risk factors of pathological game use (i.e., excessively frequent or prolonged use, sometimes called “game addiction”). This measure was distributed to internet message boards for game enthusiasts and to college undergraduates. An exploratory factor analysis identified 9 factors: Story, Violent Catharsis, Violent Reward, Social Interaction, Escapism, Loss-Sensitivity, Customization, Grinding, and Autonomy. These factors demonstrated excellent fit in a subsequent confirmatory factor analysis, and, importantly, were found to reliably discriminate between inter-individual game preferences (e.g., Super Mario Brothers as compared to Call of Duty). Moreover, three factors were significantly related to pathological game use: the use of games to escape daily life, the use of games as a social outlet, and positive attitudes toward the steady accumulation of in-game rewards. The current research identifies individual preferences and motives relevant to understanding video game players' evaluations of different games and risk factors for pathological video game use.

Personality traits and knowledge sharing in online communities

Adopting diffusion theory and the concept of social value orientation, the effects of personality traits on knowledge sharing in a virtual open content community are investigated. In addition to the main effects of personality, it was hypothesized that intrinsic motivations would moderate the effects on knowledge sharing. A sample of N=256 active users of Wikipedia provided measures of personality, motivation, and knowledge sharing. Latent regression analyses support the notion that authorship of Wikipedia is associated with higher levels of trendsetting and a prosocial value orientation. Moreover, moderation analyses demonstrate that the effect of the latter is moderated by individual differences in motivations to write. Differences with regard to opinion leadership could not be confirmed.

Symptoms of depression and PTSD are associated with elevated alcohol demand

BackgroundBehavioral economic demand curves measure individual differences in motivation for alcohol and have been associated with problematic patterns of alcohol use, but little is known about the variables that may contribute to elevated demand. Negative visceral states have been theorized to increase demand for alcohol and to contribute to excessive drinking patterns, but little empirical research has evaluated this possibility. The present study tested the hypothesis that symptoms of depression and PTSD would be uniquely associated with elevated alcohol demand even after taking into account differences in typical drinking levels. MethodAn Alcohol Purchase Task (APT) was used to generate a demand curve measure of alcohol reinforcement in a sample of 133 college students (50.4% male, 64.4% Caucasian, 29.5% African-American) who reported at least one heavy drinking episode (5/4 or more drinks in one occasion for a man/woman) in the past month. Participants also completed standard measures of alcohol consumption and symptoms of depression and PTSD. ResultsRegression analyses indicated that symptoms of depression were associated with higher demand intensity (alcohol consumption when price=0; ΔR2=.05, p=.002) and lower elasticity (ΔR2=.04, p=.03), and that PTSD symptoms were associated with all five demand curve metrics (ΔR2=.04–.07, ps<.05). ConclusionsThese findings provide support for behavioral economic models of addiction that highlight the role of aversive visceral states in increasing the reward value of alcohol and provide an additional theoretical model to explain the association between negative affect and problematic drinking patterns.

Implicit and explicit emotional reactions to witnessing prejudice

The present study examined how individual differences in motivation to respond without prejudice predict self-reported negative affect and physiological responses to the prejudicial acts of others. One hundred and one White participants were paired with a Black “partner” and together they watched two White men on film having either a pro- or antidiversity discussion. The higher participants were on internal motivation to respond without prejudice, the greater their self-reported negative affect and the more they exhibited distress-related physiological responses during the antidiversity discussion. In contrast, during the prodiversity discussion participants lower in internal motivation to respond without prejudice showed greater physiological distress, but did not self-report more negative affect. These results suggest that only those who have internalized egalitarian goals exhibit the negative emotional responses likely to promote opposition to expressions of intergroup bias; those who lack these goals might instead react against efforts to promote diversity.

Individual Differences in Motivation to Participate in Online Panels

The majority of online research is now conducted via discontinuous online access panels, which promise high response rates, sampling control, access to populations that are hard to reach, and detailed information about respondents. To sustain a critical mass of respondents, overcome panel attrition and recruit new panel members, marketers must understand how they can predict and explain what motivates people to participate repeatedly in online surveys. Using the newly developed survey participation inventory (SPI) measure, we identify three clusters of participants, characterised as voicing assistants, reward seekers and intrinsics. Our results suggest that most online surveys are filled out by intrinsically motivated respondents that show higher participation rates, response effort and performance; incentives do not offer an important response motive.

Role of test motivation in intelligence testing.

Intelligence tests are widely assumed to measure maximal intellectual performance, and predictive associations between intelligence quotient (IQ) scores and later-life outcomes are typically interpreted as unbiased estimates of the effect of intellectual ability on academic, professional, and social life outcomes. The current investigation critically examines these assumptions and finds evidence against both. First, we examined whether motivation is less than maximal on intelligence tests administered in the context of low-stakes research situations. Specifically, we completed a meta-analysis of random-assignment experiments testing the effects of material incentives on intelligence-test performance on a collective 2,008 participants. Incentives increased IQ scores by an average of 0.64 SD, with larger effects for individuals with lower baseline IQ scores. Second, we tested whether individual differences in motivation during IQ testing can spuriously inflate the predictive validity of intelligence for life outcomes. Trained observers rated test motivation among 251 adolescent boys completing intelligence tests using a 15-min "thin-slice" video sample. IQ score predicted life outcomes, including academic performance in adolescence and criminal convictions, employment, and years of education in early adulthood. After adjusting for the influence of test motivation, however, the predictive validity of intelligence for life outcomes was significantly diminished, particularly for nonacademic outcomes. Collectively, our findings suggest that, under low-stakes research conditions, some individuals try harder than others, and, in this context, test motivation can act as a third-variable confound that inflates estimates of the predictive validity of intelligence for life outcomes.

Approach and Avoidance Profiles Distinguish Dimensions of Anxiety and Depression

Although a substantial body of research has examined the relationship between motivational systems and mood and anxiety disorders, there is disagreement among theorists regarding the nature of these relationships. Discrepancies in the literature may be explained by several factors. Studies of motivational models rarely examine both mood and anxiety disorders simultaneously, making comparisons among them difficult. Furthermore, dimensions of anxiety often are not distinguished, obscuring potential relationships. Finally, although research in this area is beginning to conceptualize individual differences in motivational systems as longstanding temperament phenomena, this notion has not been widely incorporated into motivational models. The present study examined relationships between temperamental differences in approach and avoidance motivational systems and dimensions of anxiety and depression. Results revealed distinct relationships between motivational temperaments and each psychopathology dimension. Present findings implicate individual differences in temperamental motivation as a potential factor in the development and/or maintenance of mood and anxiety disorders.

Motivation for achievement as perceived resource value in social rank theory of depression: A structural equation modeling analysis

Perceived resource value reflects individual differences in motivation to acquire resource holding potential. The individualistic achievement (IA) trait, as measured by the Sociotropy Autonomy Scale, is a suitable measure for perceived resource value, and helps understand the social rank theory of depression. The present study aims to evaluate this suggestion using structural equation modeling analysis. A total of 199 university students filled out the IA subscale of the SAS, Positive and Negative Affect Scale, Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory. As predicted, IA was significantly associated with social dominance as measured by the sum of Z-scores of self-esteem, social functioning and positive affect ( r = 0.44) and negative emotion as measured by the sum of Z-scores of depression and negative affects ( r = −0.15) and dominance was significantly negatively associated with negative emotion ( r = −0.47). Structural equation modeling analysis reveals a good fit of the proposed model that IA trait increases social dominance which reduces negative emotion. Furthermore, the social dominance and negative emotion showed a reciprocal relationship. These preliminary results suggest that IA is a suitable measurement for perceived resource value of social rank theory in humans. This measurement is expected to facilitate understanding of the development of depression.

Motivation within the DMGT 2.0 framework

This article begins with a brief survey of the recent update of the Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT). The DMGT defines talent development as the transformation of outstanding natural abilities (called gifts) into outstanding knowledge and skills (called talents). Two types of catalysts, intrapersonal and environmental, actively moderate the talent development process. The concept of motivation is situated at the core of the intrapersonal catalysts. Borrowing from action control theory, two goal management sets of processes are differentiated. The first set targets goal‐identification (pre‐decisional) activities, whereas the second set deals with goal‐attainment (post‐decisional) activities. They are labeled ‘motivation’ and ‘volition’ respectively. The article describes these two sets of processes, especially the distinction between goals and motives, as well as some practical impacts of individual differences in motivation and volition.

Personality and Motivational Antecedents of Activism and Civic Engagement

This article conceptually links theory and research on volunteerism to different forms of political activity, specifically activism and civic engagement. Multiple perspectives and measures of personality as antecedents of volunteerism, activism, and civic engagement are outlined, including individual differences in motivations, interpersonal orientations, and traits. Next, self-report data from 624 people involved in AIDS service organizations (as clients, volunteers, staff, or supporters) are utilized to empirically explore the best personality predictors of AIDS activism and civic engagement. Other-focused rather than self-focused motivation better predicted AIDS activism and civic engagement. The only measure of interpersonal orientation consistently related to these outcomes was communal orientation; as well, only the trait of extraversion was related to both outcomes. In analyses testing the predictive power of constellations of personality measures, other-focused motivation better predicted AIDS activism and civic engagement than the other measures of motivation, interpersonal orientation, and traits. Finally, meditational analyses supported a developmental sequence in which other-focused motivation leads to specific activism, which, in turn, encourages broader civic engagement. The discussion focuses on theoretical implications for understanding the impact of personality on different forms of citizenship behaviors and of the applicability of the Volunteer Process Model for studying political activity and civic engagement.

User sensitive research in e-learning: exploring the role of individual user characteristics

The increasing need for active and accessible learning in the inclusive knowledge society drives the demand for e-learning that engages users much more effectively than ever before. In this context, it is crucial to conduct research that embraces innovation in user sensitive design, or else influential individual user differences may be overlooked. The objective of this paper is to explore the creation of successful e-learning systems that are able to increase users’ learning performance and enhance their personal learning experiences. The paper reports two converging and complimentary approaches, namely case studies and experimentation. First, case studies are used to explore the extent to which effective e-learning systems comply with eight specific factors. Of the eight, accessibility, individual differences and student modeling turn out to be the weakest points in current practice. Second, an empirical study investigates the influences of user individual user differences on users’ learning outcomes in an e-learning environment. The experiment found that individual differences in motivation to learn and expectations about e-learning significantly impacted users’ learning achievements. Third, based on these studies, improvements in research methodology are identified towards greater consideration of user sensitive research issues, thus enabling us to outline improved experimental procedures. Further experiment results should provide us with better insights into the arguments needed to carefully assess benefits of developing and involving a user model in an e-learning application. Consequently, evaluation and justification could now encompass both system performance as well as user performance.

How Important is Beauty to You? The Development of the Desire for Aesthetics Scale

We comprehensively measured individual differences in aesthetic interest by developing The Desire for Aesthetics Scale (DFAS). In Study 1, a 40-item scale was given to 71 undergraduates. Based on item-total correlations, the worst items were revised or dropped, and new items were created. In Study 2, a 43-item scale was tested with 99 undergraduates from two colleges, and was given to one group 3 months later, demonstrating adequate test-retest reliability scores ( r = .74). In Study 3, a revised 42-item scale was given to 62 older, non-students. For the combined relevant samples from Study 2 and Study 3 ( N = 110), the final 36-item DFAS yielded good internal consistency ( alpha = .82, p &lt; .001 compared to a test value of .70; 95% confidence interval: (0.764, 0.865)). Overall, in multiple samples, this scale resulted in reliable measurements of individual differences in motivation to seek out and care about a wide range of aesthetic stimuli.

Frontal brain oscillations and social anxiety: A cross-frequency spectral analysis during baseline and speech anticipation

Increasing evidence suggests that cross-frequency spectral coupling between slow (SW) and fast (FW) wave activity in the EEG supports information exchange between separate and functionally distinct neural systems. Further, evidence suggests that states of uncertainty, anticipation and anxious apprehension involve a high degree of SW–FW coupling. We examined whether adults pre-selected for high and low social anxiety showed distinct patterns of frontal brain oscillatory coupling during resting baseline and the anticipation of a self-presentation task. As predicted, the high socially anxious group showed significantly greater SW–FW coupling than the low socially anxious group, in the right, but not left, frontal electrode sites while anticipating a public speaking task. Additionally, the low socially anxious group showed a decrease in delta power from baseline to speech anticipation, suggesting that they found the same task potentially rewarding. Exploratory analyses indicated no effects of delta-gamma coupling. However, EEG gamma band power increased during the speech anticipation condition, in the parietal electrode sites. Our results are discussed in the context of previous studies on cross-frequency EEG coupling in relation to individual differences in motivation and emotion and future directions for studying the neural correlates of anxiety.

The impact of motivations and meanings on the wellbeing of caregivers of people with dementia: a systematic review

The majority of people in the early and middle stages of dementia are cared for at home by non-paid caregivers, the majority of whom will be family members. Two factors which could have an impact on the quality of care provided to the care-recipient are the caregiver's motivations for providing care and the meaning s/he finds in caregiving. The aim of this review is to explore the potential impact of both meaning and motivation on the wellbeing of caregivers of people with dementia. The review also explores individual differences in motivations to provide care. This was a systematic review of peer-reviewed empirical studies exploring motivations and meanings in informal caregivers of people with dementia. Four studies were identified which examined the caregiver's motivations to provide care. Six studies were identified which examined the meaning that caregivers found in dementia caregiving. Caregivers' wellbeing could be influenced by the nature of their motivations to care. In addition, cultural norms and caregivers' kin-relationship to the care-recipient impacted on motivations to provide care. Finding meaning had a positive impact on caregiver wellbeing. The limited evidence currently available indicates that both the caregiver's motivations to provide care and the meaning s/he finds in caregiving can have implications for the caregiver's wellbeing. More research is needed to explore the role of motivations and meaning in dementia caregiving.

Prejudice Control and Interracial Relations: The Role of Motivation to Respond Without Prejudice

A decade of research indicates that individual differences in motivation to respond without prejudice have important implications for the control of prejudice and interracial relations. In reviewing this work, we draw on W. Mischel and Y. Shoda's (1995, 1999) Cognitive-Affective Processing System (CAPS) to demonstrate that people with varying sources of motivation to respond without prejudice respond in distinct ways to situational cues, resulting in differing situation-behavior profiles in interracial contexts. People whose motivation is self-determined (i.e., the internally motivated) effectively control prejudice across situations and strive for positive interracial interactions. In contrast, people who respond without prejudice to avoid social sanction (i.e., the primarily externally motivated) consistently fail at regulating difficult to control prejudice and respond with anxiety and avoidance in interracial interactions. We further consider the nature of the cognitive-affective units of personality associated with motivation to respond without prejudice and their implications for the quality of interracial relations.