Human Motivation

by David C. McClelland

Human Motivation, originally published in 1987, offers a broad overview of theory and research from the perspective of a distinguished psychologist whose creative empirical studies of human motives span forty years. David McClelland describes methods for measuring motives, the development of motives out of natural incentives and the relationship of motives to emotions, to values and to performance under a variety of conditions. He examines four major motive systems - achievement, power, affiliation and avoidance - reviewing and evaluating research on how these motive systems affect behaviour. Scientific understanding of motives and their interaction, he argues, contributes to understanding of such diverse and important phenomena as the rise and fall of civilisations, the underlying causes of war, the rate of economic development, the nature of leadership, the reasons for authoritarian or democratic governing styles, the determinants of success in management and the factors responsible for health and illness. Students and instructors alike will find this book an exciting and readable presentation of the psychology of human motivation.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

676 pages, Paperback

First published January 29, 1983

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are two books by McCelland titled Human Motivation. The earlier one from 1956 is a collection of papers. This one is basically him There is nothing new here. Some ideas have been updated from the 56 treatise but his logic is too politically biased to follow through on the results.

[Giovanni Emmanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! To understand others behaviours and yours. What motivates you the most and why.... Are you high in power?