ABSTRACT

One of the wonderful things about well-formulated theories is that they can lead you conceptually and empirically to places that you never intended to go. No theory illustrates this better than Jack Brehm’s theory of motivational intensity (Brehm, 1975; Brehm & Self, 1989). Brehm’s theory was conceived with subjective aspects of motivation in mind. More specifically, it was conceived with the goal of improving the prediction and understanding of approach and avoidant desire (e.g., Brehm, Wright, Solomon, Silka, & Greenberg, 1983). However, much of the research inspired by the theory has been physiological in nature. Furthermore, much has involved predictor variables that Brehm surely did not envision when he began considering motivational intensity issues.