The Thematic Apperception Test: toward a standard measure of the big three motives

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Langan-Fox, Janice

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The Thematic Apperception Test: toward a standard measure of the big three motives

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/5396

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Title: The Thematic Apperception Test: toward a standard measure of the big three motives
Author(s): Langan-Fox, Janice; Grant, Sharon L.
Abstract: The application of the Thematic Apperception Test to the assessment of motives has been heralded as an important milestone in personality psychology. However, although this approach is well established, there is at present no standard battery of cues for measuring the Big Three motives (achievement, affiliation, power). Furthermore, the extent to which scoring subcategories contribute to overall motive scores has been neglected. Our research with students and managers examined the effectiveness of picture cues in eliciting motive imagery and the prevalence of scoring subcategories within each motive scoring system. Results from 2 data sets comprising 547 men and women suggested that there were 3 cues that should be retained for future research and that motive scoring systems could be refined through removal of redundant subcategories. Further research is needed to systematically investigate the effectiveness of a standard battery of cues and the validity of revised motive scoring systems.
Publication type: Journal article
Research centre: Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Business and Enterprise. Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship
Source: Journal of Personality Assessment, Vol. 87, no. 3 (2006), p. 277-291
Publication year: 2006
Publisher: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
ISSN: 0022-3891
Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa8703_09
Peer reviewed