Assessing Individual Differences in Motivation: Convergent Validity of the Assessment of Individual Motives - Questionnaire [AIM-Q] and Measures of Aggression, Cognition, Playfulness, and Sexuality

Author(s): Larry C. Bernard

DOI: https://doi.org/10.65030/idr.05012

Abstract: A new evolutionary psychology theory of human motivation posits that motive adaptations guide behavior in purposeful directions. The Assessment of Individual Motives-Questionnaire (AIM-Q; Bernard, Mills, Swenson, & Walsh, 2006) is a new objective multitrait-multimethod measure of individual differences in the strength of 15 motives derived from this theory: Affection, Aggression, Altruism, Appearance, Conscience, Curiosity, Health, Legacy, Material, Meaning, Mental, Physical, Play, Safety, and Sex. The present study investigates the validity of individual AIM-Q motives in a sample of N = 167. Hypothesized relationships between certain of these motives and existing reliable and valid measures of aggression, cognition, playfulness, and sexuality are tested. Results generally support the construct validity of some of the motive scales.

Keywords: Motivation; Evolutionary psychology; Individual differences; Personality assessment; Construct validity; Multitrait–multimethod; Motives

Pages: 158-174

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