Measuring the Motives of Political Actors at a Distancevice. They are more innovative and are quicker and better at using
information to modify performance. They are restless and travel
around a lot, have high but realistic aspirations, carefully calculate
probabilities, and (so long as the chances for success are at least mod-
erate) work with energy and persistence. Thus in such business set-
tings, they usually end up performing well. Achievement motivation
is not related to success, however, in academic or scientific settings,
in the professions, or in large bureaucratic corporations.
Achievement-motivated people can control themselves and delay
gratification, perhaps because they have a sense of time as moving
faster and stretching farther into the future. They prefer subdued,
even somber styles. On the other hand, they are not always tightly
controlled "law and order" types: when they perceive it to be neces-
TABLE 7.1. BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE SCORING SYSTEMS FOR ACHIEVEMENT,
AFFILIATION, AND POWER MOTIVE IMAGERY
Achievement Someone is concerned about a standard of excellence:
Directly, by words evaluating the quality of performance, or
indirectly, by actions clearly suggesting a concern for excellence
or by success in competition.
By negative emotions or counterstriving in response to failure.
By carrying out some unique, unprecedented accomplishment.
Affiliation Someone is concerned about establishing, maintaining, or restoring
friendship or friendly relations among persons, groups, etc.:
By expression of warm, positive, friendly, or intimate feelings
toward other people, nations, etc.
By expression of sadness or other negative feeling about
separation or disruption of a friendly relationship or wanting to
restore it.
By affiliative, companionate activities.
By friendly, nurturant acts.
Power Someone is concerned about having impact, control, or influence
on another person, group, or the world at large:
By taking strong, forceful actions that inherently have an impact
on other people or the world at large.
By controlling or regulating others.
By attempting to influence, persuade, convince, make or prove a
point, or argue.
By giving unsolicited help or advice.
By impressing others or the world at large; prestige or reputation.
By eliciting a strong emotional reaction in someone else.
Source: Data from Winter 1991, 63. This outline is not adequate for scoring purposes. A complete
manual, together with instructions, practice materials, expert scoring, and calibration materials, is
available at cost from the author, as noted in the text.