ABSTRACT
Achievement motivation is a personality measure that describes an individual’s willingness to achieve. Motivation, more broadly described, is what energizes us to action (Gage & Berliner, 1984) and includes needs, values, attitudes, interests, aspirations, and incentives. Achievement motivation has been described by many terms; however, in this chapter, achievement motivation is constrained to the type most relevant to learning and instruction, that is, need for achievement. Need is defined as “a lack of something that a given outcome can provide” (p. 338). The urge to satisfy those needs translates into one’s motivation. Murray (1938) described achievement motivation as the need to:
accomplish something difficult. To master, manipulate or organize physical objects, human beings or ideas. To do this as rapidly, and as independently as possible. To overcome obstacles and attain a high standard. To excel one’s self. To rival and surpass others. To increase self-regard by the successful exercise of talent….[manifested by actions which] make intense, prolonged and repeated efforts to accomplish something difficult…[and] work with singleness of purpose towards a high and distant goal. To have the determination to win. To try to do everything well. To be stimulated to excel by the presence of others, to enjoy competition. To exert will power; to overcome boredom and fatigue.
(p. 164.) Some theorists contrast this personality measure with other personality variables such as need for affiliation, abasement, inferiority avoidance, blame avoidance, play, exhibition (Murray, 1938).