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How to Measure Motivation: A Guide for the Experimental Social Psychologist
Author(s) -
TouréTillery Maferima,
Fishbach Ayelet
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
social and personality psychology compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.699
H-Index - 53
ISSN - 1751-9004
DOI - 10.1111/spc3.12110
Subject(s) - psychology , goal theory , cognitive evaluation theory , social psychology , self determination theory , psychological research , process (computing) , cognitive psychology , political science , computer science , law , operating system , autonomy
This article examines cognitive, affective, and behavioral measures of motivation and reviews their use throughout the discipline of experimental social psychology. We distinguish between two dimensions of motivation (outcome‐focused motivation and process‐focused motivation). We discuss circumstances under which measures may help distinguish between different dimensions of motivation, as well as circumstances under which measures may capture different dimensions of motivation in similar ways. Furthermore, we examine situations in which various measures may capture fluctuations in non‐motivational factors, such as learning or physiological depletion. This analysis seeks to advance research in experimental social psychology by highlighting the need for caution when selecting measures of motivation and when interpreting fluctuations captured by these measures.