McClelland’s Achievement Motivation Theory
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David McClelland's Achievement Motivation Theory (also called Three-Need Theory) is a psychological theory that focuses on the need for achievement (nAch) as an important driver of human behavior. The theory proposes that people are driven by three basic needs: the need for achievement, the need for affiliation, and the need for power.
McClelland proposed this theory in the 1960s, and it has since been influential in the fields of psychology, management, and organizational behavior. The theory originated from the investigations into the relationship between hunger needs and the extent to which imagery of food dominates the thought process.
The key components of McClelland's Achievement Motivation Theory include:
Need for Achievement (n-Ach)
McClelland identified the need for achievement as a fundamental human motive. Individuals with a high need for achievement are characterized by a strong desire to excel, to accomplish challenging tasks, and to set and accomplish personal goals.
McClelland observed that people with a high desire for achievement perform better than those with a moderate or low need for achievement. These individuals often seek feedback on their performance and are motivated by a sense of accomplishment.
Need for Power (n-Pow)
McClelland also identified the need for power as another important motivator. This is the desire to be influential— to make impact on others, do something that can change situations, and add value to life. Individuals with a high need for power seek to influence and control others. They are driven by a desire to have an impact, to be in control of situations, and to be recognized for their leadership abilities.
Need for Affiliation (n-Aff)
The need for affiliation is the third component of McClelland's theory. It's the desire to establish friendly and close relationships with others and to interact socially. Individuals with a high need for affiliation desire positive interpersonal relationships. They seek to establish and maintain friendly and cooperative relationships with others.
McClelland observed that people with a high need for affiliation get motivated to express their feelings and emotions to other people as part of their normal behavior and strongly desire to be liked and accepted by others. In this way, they resent and discourage conflicts and confrontations in their day-to-day relationships and, by nature and constant practice, feel motivated to emphasize friendship and cordiality.
The need for power can be summarized as the desire to influence others and control environment. Such power ultimately culminates in increased motivation amongst members of the workplace and fulfillment of organizational goals.
McClelland argued that these needs are not inherent traits but are learned over time through life experiences, cultural influences, and socialization processes. Moreover, individuals may possess a combination of these needs, but one need is often dominant.
The three motives correspond, in consonance, with Maslow’s love, esteem and self-actualization needs:
- n-Aff = Love Need (Maslow)
- n-Pow = Esteem Need (Maslow)
- n-Ach = Self-actualization Need (Maslow)
The relative intensity of affiliation, power and achievement motives varies among individuals. It also tends to vary between different occupations. Managers appear to be higher in achievement motivation than in affiliation motivation.
- Persons with high n-Aff tend to prioritize social relationships over task accomplishment.
- A person who has a high n-Pow concentrates on seeking and exercising power/authority. Such a person is oriented towards influencing others and winning arguments.
- People with high n-Ach prefer challenge of working a problem, and accept personal responsibility for success or failure rather than leaving the outcome to chance or the actions of others.
McClelland saw the achievement need (n-Ach) as the most critical for an organization’s economic growth and success. The need to achieve is linked to entrepreneurial spirit and the development of available resources.
The Extent of Achievement Motivation
The extent of achievement motivation varies among individuals. Some people may have very high achievement motivation—who are challenged by opportunities and work hard to achieve a goal. Others may be rated very low in achievement motivation—they do not care much and have little urge to achieve.
For people with very high achievement motivation, money may serve as a means of giving feedback on performance. This caliber of people seems unlikely to remain long with an organization that does not pay them well for good performance. Money may seem to be important to high achievers, but they value it more as symbolizing successful task performance and goal achievement. For people with low achievement motivation money may serve more as a direct incentive for performance.
McClelland’s research has attempted to understand the characteristics of high achievers. He observes that n-Ach is not hereditary but results from environmental influences.
Being concerned with economic growth in under-developed countries, he has designed training programmes to increase the achievement motivation and entrepreneurial activity of managers.
Based on his investigation into the possibility of training people to develop a greater motivation to achieve, McClelland suggests the following four steps in attempting to develop achievement drive:
- Striving to attain feedback on performance. Reinforcement of success serves to strengthen the desire to attain higher performance.
- Developing models of achievement by emulating people who have performed well.
- Attempting to modify their self-image and to see themselves as needing challenges and success.
- Controlling daydreaming and thinking about themselves in more positive terms.
McClelland has also suggested that the effective manager should possess a high need for power. However, the effective manager also scores high on inhibition. Power is directed more towards the organization and concern for group goals, and is exercised on behalf of other people. This is socialized power. It is distinguished from personalized power, which is characterized by satisfaction from exercising dominance over other people, and personal aggrandizement.