Motivation and Personality: Relationships between Putative Motive Dimensions and the Five Factor Model of Personality

Abstract

There are few multidimensional measures of individual differences in motivation available. The Assessment of Individual Motives–Questionnaire assesses 15 putative dimensions of motivation. The dimensions are based on evolutionary theory and preliminary evidence suggests the motive scales have good psychometric properties. The scales are reliable and there is evidence of their consensual validity (convergence of self–other ratings) and behavioral validity (relationships with self–other reported behaviors of social importance). Additional validity research is necessary, however, especially with respect to current models of personality. The present study tested two general and 24 specific hypotheses based on proposed evolutionary advantages/disadvantages and fitness benefits/costs of the five-factor model of personality together with the new motive scales in a sample of 424 participants ( M age = 28.8 yr., SD = 14.6). Results were largely supportive of the hypotheses. These results support the validity of new motive dimensions and increase understanding of the five-factor model of personality.