Temporal stability and accuracy of motivational profiles

The sensitivity theory of motivation proposes individual differences in the strength of 15 fundamental motives. A central assumption of the theory is that individual differences are stable across time. The first objective of this study was to estimate the stability of motivational profiles across time by retesting 79 individuals with mental retardation at a 3-year interval. The second objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of motivational profiles. We presented three motivational profiles to raters and asked them to identify which one corresponded to the person they had rated. Results indicated good to excellent stability and very good accuracy. This is the first study to examine the long-term stability of motivational variables in individuals with mental retardation.