I talk, self-focused attention and implicit achievement motive

Abstract

The use of pronouns is linked to unconscious processes. Especially self-referred pronouns deliver much about the writer of a story. I tested two theories, the achievement motive theory and the theory of self-focused attention on a data set of 2942 PSE/TAT-protocols. Here I analyzed how the implicit (unconscious) achievement motive and its two components hope of success (HS) and fear of failure (FF) can be found in the use of self-referred pronouns. The results show that the achievement motive is related to self-referred but not to we-referred pronouns. Further results show that FF is more related to self-referred pronouns than HS. Furthermore, FF is more related to self-referred personal than self-referred possessive pronouns. This speaks for both the theory of implicit achievement motive and self-focused attention theory.

Keywords

• tat
• pse
• achivement motive
• self-focused attentions