Achievement Motivation

Question 1

Identify characteristics of a NACH (Need to achieve) personality

Answer 1

Ambitious
Driven
Take on 50 / 50 risks
Sees failure as learning
Resilient and perseveres
Want to succeed
Competitive
Likes evaluation

Question 2

Identify characteristics of a NAF (Need to avoid failure) personality

Answer 2

Doesn’t like risk
Afraid of failure
Will avoid challenge and risk
Will only attempt where success is almost guaranteed (90/10)
May attempt 10/90 chance as ‘Heroic Failure’
Gives up easily
Does not like evaluative situations

Question 3

How might the ‘incentive value’ affect the actions of the performer?

Answer 3

High incentive value (eg. prize money) may influence a NAF performer to take on higher risks.

Question 4

What does the ‘probability of success’ refer to ?

Answer 4

The chance of success/failure
eg. 50/50 (Nach personalities seek these out)
90/10, 10/90 (Naf personalities more likely to accept these risk levels.)

Question 5

What is the Heroic failure syndrome?

Answer 5

Where NAF personalities will attempt a task where they have very little chance of success. Other people are also likely to fail so the NAF personality will not feel evaluated. They can say “at least I had a go”