THE DYNAMIC STRUCTURE OF ATTITUDES IN ADULTS: A DESCRIPTION OF SOME ESTABLISHED FACTORS AND OF THEIR MEASUREMENT BY THE MOTIVATIONAL ANALYSIS TEST

• Published in: The British journal of psychology 1962-02, Vol.53 (1), p.57-69
• Main Authors: CATTELL, R. B., HORN, J., BUTCHER, H. J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude; Behavior; Humans; Motivation; Old Medline
• ISSN: 0007-1269; 2044-8295
• DOI: 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1962.tb00814.x

In a systematic programme of research, two sets of factors have been repeatedly confirmed. Those of the first type are referred to as dynamic factors and comprise (a) drives or ‘ergs’ and (b) sentiments. These have been found when a wide range of adult attitudes has been measured by disguised tests and the results inter‐correlated and factor analysed. The factors of the second type are referred to as motivation components and are derived from the measurement of one attitude by many different devices. The number and nature of both types of factor are reviewed, and an experiment described in which a test battery was assembled so as to represent the principal factors of both types as economically and conveniently as possible. Thus for each expected dynamic factor two or more attitudes were included, all these attitudes being measured by four separate objective devices. The four objective devices were chosen to represent four of the most important components. From the results of this experiment, the Motivational Analysis Test was constructed, designed to measure, in a short testing time, ten drives and sentiments, each by four devices. The test battery is clinically and experimentally oriented, to cover such drives and sentiments as fear, narcissistic sex, parental sentiment and the self‐sentiment, for each of which a ‘conscious, integrated’ and an ‘unconscious, unintegrated’ score can be obtained, as well as a total score. Other established drives and sentiments with occupational and industrial relevance are included in another test battery still under construction. Some practical uses of the Motivational Analysis Test are briefly suggested.