Abstract

The Work Preference Inventory (WPI) is designed to assess individual differences in intrinsic and extrinsic motivational orientations. Both the college student and the working adult versions aim to capture the major elements of intrinsic motivation (self-determination, competence, task involvement, curiosity, enjoyment, and interest) and extrinsic motivation (concerns with competition, evaluation, recognition, money or other tangible incentives, and constraint by others). The instrument is scored on two primary scales, each subdivided into 2 secondary scales. The WPI has meaningful factor structures, adequate internal consistency, good short-term test-retest reliability, and good longer term stability. Moreover, WPI scores are related in meaningful ways to other questionnaire and behavioral measures of motivation, as well as personality characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors.

Keywords

PsychologyCuriosityIntrinsic motivationSocial psychologyPreferenceCompetence (human resources)PersonalityIncentiveInternal consistencySelf-determination theoryApplied psychologyCognitive psychologyDevelopmental psychologyPsychometricsAutonomy

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Year
1994
Type
article
Volume
66
Issue
5
Pages
950-967
Citations
1369
Access
Closed

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Teresa M. Amabile, Sheryl A. Hemphill, Beth A. Hennessey et al. (1994). The Work Preference Inventory: Assessing intrinsic and extrinsic motivational orientations.. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 66 (5) , 950-967. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.66.5.950

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DOI
10.1037//0022-3514.66.5.950