Abstract
Previous research found that aspirations to financial success related inversely to self-actualization and that aspirations to community involvement related positively to self-actualization. We argue that diverse reasons can underlie both of these aspirations, leading to more complex predictions. In a sample of 246 participants, we assessed both self-determining and controlling reasons for each class of aspiration, along with endorsements of the aspirations themselves. Initial regression analyses replicated the earlier findings. Subsequent analyses found that endorsement of self-determining reasons for either class of aspiration related positively to self-actualization and that endorsement of controlling reasons for either class of aspiration related inversely to self-actualization. In the analysis involving community involvement, the aspiration itself no longer retained predictive power after the other variables were taken into account. In the analysis involving financial success, however, the aspiration retained an independent predictive role.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 289-292 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Psychological Science |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| State | Published - Jul 1 1998 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology(all)
Cite this
The American dream revisited : Is it What you want or Why you want it that matters? / Carver, Charles S; Baird, Eryn.
In: Psychological Science, Vol. 9, No. 4, 01.07.1998, p. 289-292.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The American dream revisited
T2 - Is it What you want or Why you want it that matters?
AU - Carver, Charles S
AU - Baird, Eryn
PY - 1998/7/1
Y1 - 1998/7/1
N2 - Previous research found that aspirations to financial success related inversely to self-actualization and that aspirations to community involvement related positively to self-actualization. We argue that diverse reasons can underlie both of these aspirations, leading to more complex predictions. In a sample of 246 participants, we assessed both self-determining and controlling reasons for each class of aspiration, along with endorsements of the aspirations themselves. Initial regression analyses replicated the earlier findings. Subsequent analyses found that endorsement of self-determining reasons for either class of aspiration related positively to self-actualization and that endorsement of controlling reasons for either class of aspiration related inversely to self-actualization. In the analysis involving community involvement, the aspiration itself no longer retained predictive power after the other variables were taken into account. In the analysis involving financial success, however, the aspiration retained an independent predictive role.
AB - Previous research found that aspirations to financial success related inversely to self-actualization and that aspirations to community involvement related positively to self-actualization. We argue that diverse reasons can underlie both of these aspirations, leading to more complex predictions. In a sample of 246 participants, we assessed both self-determining and controlling reasons for each class of aspiration, along with endorsements of the aspirations themselves. Initial regression analyses replicated the earlier findings. Subsequent analyses found that endorsement of self-determining reasons for either class of aspiration related positively to self-actualization and that endorsement of controlling reasons for either class of aspiration related inversely to self-actualization. In the analysis involving community involvement, the aspiration itself no longer retained predictive power after the other variables were taken into account. In the analysis involving financial success, however, the aspiration retained an independent predictive role.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0347669500&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0347669500
VL - 9
SP - 289
EP - 292
JO - Psychological Science
JF - Psychological Science
SN - 0956-7976
IS - 4
ER -