The beginnings of motivation research, 1934-1954: a prequel to Fullerton 2013

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to show the genesis of motivation research in work done from the 1920s through 1954, especially with the growth in reception of European “depth psychology”. This has been followed up by Fullerton (2013). Design/methodology/approach – Standard historical methodology – heavy reliance on sources written at the time (primary resources), avoidance of anachronism, heavy use of contemporary quotations, efforts to explain and interpret. Findings – Motivation research dates to the 1920s with the work of Paul F. Lazarsfeld and others. It grew rapidly in the USA, part of the great expansion of the behavioral sciences, and amidst a zeitgeist of growing discontent with older psychologies and of Economic Man. Originality/value – This paper takes motivation research back to its origins for the first time, placing it clearly in line with contemporary intellectual developments.