IntrinsicMotivationInventory(IMI)

ScaleDescription
TheIntrinsicMotivationInventory(IMI)isamultidimensionalmeasurementdeviceintendedto
assessparticipantssubjectiveexperiencerelatedtoatargetactivityinlaboratoryexperiments.
Ithasbeenusedinseveralexperimentsrelatedtointrinsicmotivationandselfregulation(e.g.,
Ryan,1982;Ryan,Mims&Koestner,1983;Plant&Ryan,1985;Ryan,Connell,&Plant,1990;
Ryan,Koestner&Deci,1991;Deci,Eghrari,Patrick,&Leone,1994).Theinstrumentassesses
participantsinterest/enjoyment,perceivedcompetence,effort,value/usefulness,feltpressure
andtension,andperceivedchoicewhileperformingagivenactivity,thusyieldingsixsubscale
scores.Recently,aseventhsubscalehasbeenaddedtotaptheexperiencesofrelatedness,
althoughthevalidityofthissubscalehasyettobeestablished.Theinterest/enjoyment
subscaleisconsideredtheselfreportmeasureofintrinsicmotivation;thus,althoughthe
overallquestionnaireiscalledtheIntrinsicMotivationInventory,itisonlytheonesubscalethat
assessesintrinsicmotivation,perse.Asaresult,theinterest/enjoymentsubscaleoftenhasmore
itemsonitthatdotheothersubscales.Theperceivedchoiceandperceivedcompetenceconcepts
aretheorizedtobepositivepredictorsofbothselfreportandbehavioralmeasuresofintrinsic
motivation,andpressure/tensionistheorizedtobeanegativepredictorofintrinsicmotivation.
Effortisaseparatevariablethatisrelevanttosomemotivationquestions,soisuseditits
relevant.Thevalue/usefulnesssubscaleisusedininternalizationstudies(e.g.,Decietal,1994),
theideabeingthatpeopleinternalizeandbecomeselfregulatingwithrespecttoactivitiesthat
theyexperienceasusefulorvaluableforthemselves.Finally,therelatednesssubscaleisusedin
studieshavingtodowithinterpersonalinteractions,friendshipformation,andsoon.

TheIMIconsistsofvariednumbersofitemsfromthesesubscales,allofwhichhavebeenshown
tobefactoranalyticallycoherentandstableacrossavarietyoftasks,conditions,andsettings.
Thegeneralcriteriaforinclusionofitemsonsubscaleshavebeenafactorloadingofatleast0.6
ontheappropriatesubscale,andnocrossloadingsabove0.4.Typically,loadingssubstantially
exceedthesecriteria.Nonetheless,werecommendthatinvestigatorsperformtheirownfactor
analysesonnewdatasets.Pastresearchsuggeststhatordereffectsofitempresentationappear
tobenegligible,andtheinclusionorexclusionofspecificsubscalesappearstohavenoimpact
ontheothers.Thus,itisrarethatallitemshavebeenusedinaparticularexperiment.Instead,
experimentershavechosenthesubscalesthatarerelevanttotheissuestheyareexploring.

TheIMIitemshaveoftenbeenmodifiedslightlytofitspecificactivities.Thus,forexample,an
itemsuchasItriedveryhardtodowellatthisactivitycanbechangedtoItriedveryhard
todowellonthesepuzzlesor...inlearningthismaterialwithouteffectingitsreliabilityor
validity.Asonecanreadilytell,thereisnothingsubtleabouttheseitems;theyarequiteface
valid.However,inpart,becauseoftheirstraightforwardnature,cautionisneededin
interpretation.Wehavefound,forexample,thatcorrelationsbetweenselfreportsofeffortor
interestandbehavioralindicesofthesedimensionsarequitemodestoftenaround0.4.Like
otherselfreportmeasures,thereisalwaystheneedtoappropriatelyinterprethowandwhy
participantsreportastheydo.Egoinvolvements,selfpresentationstyles,reactance,andother
psychologicaldynamicsmustbeconsidered.Forexample,inastudybyRyan,Koestner,and
Deci(1991),wefoundthatwhenparticipantswereegoinvolved,theengagedinpressured
persistenceduringafreechoiceperiodandthisbehaviordidnotcorrelatewiththeselfreportsof
interest/enjoyment.Infact,weconcludedthattobeconfidentinonesassessmentofintrinsic
motivation,oneneedstofindthatthefreechoicebehaviorandtheselfreportsof
interest/enjoymentaresignificantlycorrelated.

Anotherissueisthatofredundancy.Itemswithinthesubscalesoverlapconsiderably,although
randomizingtheirpresentationmakesthislesssalienttomostparticipants.Nonetheless,shorter
versionshavebeenusedandbeenfoundtobequitereliable.TheincrementalRforeveryitem
above4foranygivenfactorisquitesmall.Still,itisveryimportanttorecognizethatmultiple
itemsubscalesconsistentlyoutperformsingleitemsforobviousreasons,andtheyhavebetter
externalvalidity.

OnTheScalepage,therearefivesections.First,thefull45itemsthatmakeupthe7subscales
areshown,alongwithinformationonconstructingyourownIMIandscoringit.Then,thereare
fourspecificversionsoftheIMIthathavebeenusedinpaststudies.Thisshouldgiveyoua
senseofthedifferentwaysithasbeenused.Thesehavedifferentnumbersofitemsanddifferent
numbersofsubscales,andtheyconcerndifferentactivities.First,thereisastandard,22item
versionthathasbeenusedinseveralstudies,withfoursubscales:interest/enjoyment,perceived
competence,perceivedchoice,andpressure/tension.Second,thereisashort9itemversion
concernedwiththeactivityofreadingsometextmaterial;ithasthreesubscales:
interest/enjoyment,perceivedcompetence,andpressure/tension.Then,thereisthe25item
versionthatwasusedintheinternalizationstudy,includingthethreesubscalesof
value/usefulness,interest/enjoyment,andperceivedchoice.Finally,thereisa29itemversionof
theinterpersonalrelatednessquestionnairethathasfivesubscales:relatedness,
interest/enjoyment,perceivedchoice,pressure/tension,andeffort.

Finally,McAuley,Duncan,andTammen(1987)didastudytoexaminethevalidityoftheIMI
andfoundstrongsupportforitsvalidity.

References

Deci,E.L.,Eghrari,H.,Patrick,B.C.,&Leone,D.(1994).Facilitatinginternalization:
Theselfdeterminationtheoryperspective.JournalofPersonality,62,119142.

McAuley,E.,Duncan,T.,&Tammen,V.V.(1987).Psychometricpropertiesofthe
IntrinsicMotivationInventoryinacompetitivesportsetting:Aconfirmatoryfactoranalysis.
ResearchQuarterlyforExerciseandSport,60,4858.
 Plant,R.W.,&Ryan,R.M.(1985).Intrinsicmotivationandtheeffectsofself
consciousness,selfawareness,andegoinvolvement:Aninvestigationofinternallycontrolling
styles.JournalofPersonality,53,435449.

Ryan,R.M.(1982).Controlandinformationintheintrapersonalsphere:Anextension
ofcognitiveevaluationtheory.JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,43,450461.

Ryan,R.M.,Connell,J.P.,&Plant,R.W.(1990).Emotionsinnondirectedtext
learning.LearningandIndividualDifferences,2,117.

Ryan,R.M.,Koestner,R.,&Deci,E.L.(1991).Variedformsofpersistence:When
freechoicebehaviorisnotintrinsicallymotivated.MotivationandEmotion,15,185205.

Ryan,R.M.,Mims,V.,&Koestner,R.(1983).Relationofrewardcontingencyand
interpersonalcontexttointrinsicmotivation:Areviewandtestusingcognitiveevaluation
theory.JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,45,736750.
TheScales

THEPOSTEXPERIMENTALINTRINSICMOTIVATIONINVENTORY
(Belowarelistedall45itemsthatcanbeuseddependingonwhichareneeded.)

Foreachofthefollowingstatements,pleaseindicatehowtrueitisforyou,usingthefollowing
scale:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
notatall somewhat very
true true true

Interest/Enjoyment

Ienjoyeddoingthisactivityverymuch
Thisactivitywasfuntodo.
Ithoughtthiswasaboringactivity. (R)
Thisactivitydidnotholdmyattentionatall. (R)
Iwoulddescribethisactivityasveryinteresting.
Ithoughtthisactivitywasquiteenjoyable.
WhileIwasdoingthisactivity,IwasthinkingabouthowmuchIenjoyedit.

PerceivedCompetence
IthinkIamprettygoodatthisactivity.
IthinkIdidprettywellatthisactivity,comparedtootherstudents.
Afterworkingatthisactivityforawhile,Ifeltprettycompetent.
Iamsatisfiedwithmyperformanceatthistask.
Iwasprettyskilledatthisactivity.
ThiswasanactivitythatIcouldntdoverywell. (R)

Effort/Importance
Iputalotofeffortintothis.
Ididnttryveryhardtodowellatthisactivity.(R)
Itriedveryhardonthisactivity.
Itwasimportanttometodowellatthistask.
Ididntputmuchenergyintothis. (R)

Pressure/Tension
Ididnotfeelnervousatallwhiledoingthis. (R)
Ifeltverytensewhiledoingthisactivity.
Iwasveryrelaxedindoingthese. (R)
Iwasanxiouswhileworkingonthistask.
Ifeltpressuredwhiledoingthese.

PerceivedChoice
IbelieveIhadsomechoiceaboutdoingthisactivity.
Ifeltlikeitwasnotmyownchoicetodothistask. (R)
Ididntreallyhaveachoiceaboutdoingthistask. (R)
IfeltlikeIhadtodothis. (R)
IdidthisactivitybecauseIhadnochoice. (R)
IdidthisactivitybecauseIwantedto.
IdidthisactivitybecauseIhadto. (R)

Value/Usefulness
Ibelievethisactivitycouldbeofsomevaluetome.
Ithinkthatdoingthisactivityisusefulfor______________________
Ithinkthisisimportanttodobecauseitcan_____________________
Iwouldbewillingtodothisagainbecauseithassomevaluetome.
Ithinkdoingthisactivitycouldhelpmeto_____________________
Ibelievedoingthisactivitycouldbebeneficialtome.
Ithinkthisisanimportantactivity.

Relatedness
Ifeltreallydistanttothisperson. (R)
IreallydoubtthatthispersonandIwouldeverbefriends. (R)
IfeltlikeIcouldreallytrustthisperson.
Idlikeachancetointeractwiththispersonmoreoften.
Idreallyprefernottointeractwiththispersoninthefuture. (R)
IdontfeellikeIcouldreallytrustthisperson. (R)
ItislikelythatthispersonandIcouldbecomefriendsifweinteractedalot.
Ifeelclosetothisperson.

ConstructingtheIMIforyourstudy.First,decidewhichofthevariables(factors)youwantto
use,basedonwhattheoreticalquestionsyouareaddressing.Then,usetheitemsfromthose
factors,randomlyordered.Ifyouusethevalue/usefulnessitems,youwillneedtocompletethe
threeitemsasappropriate.Inotherwords,ifyouwerestudyingwhetherthepersonbelievesan
activityisusefulforimprovingconcentration,orbecomingabetterbasketballplayer,or
whatever,thenfillintheblankswiththatinformation.Ifyoudonotwanttorefertoaparticular
outcome,thenjusttruncatetheitemswithitsbeinguseful,helpful,orimportant.
ScoringinformationfortheIMI.Toscorethisinstrument,youmustfirstreversescorethe
itemsforwhichan(R)isshownafterthem.Todothat,subtracttheitemresponsefrom8,and
usetheresultingnumberastheitemscore.Then,calculatesubscalescoresbyaveragingacross
alloftheitemsonthatsubscale.Thesubscalescoresarethenusedintheanalysesofrelevant
questions.

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Thefollowingisa22itemversionofthescalethathasbeenusedinsomelabstudiesonintrinsic
motivation.Ithasfoursubscales:interest/enjoyment,perceivedchoice,perceivedcompetence,
andpressure/tension.Theinterest/enjoymentsubscaleisconsideredtheselfreportmeasureof
intrinsicmotivation;perceivedchoiceandperceivedcompetencearetheorizedtobepositive
predictorsofbothselfreportandbehavioralmeasuresofintrinsicmotivation.Pressuretension
istheorizedtobeanegativepredictorofintrinsicmotivation.Scoringinformationispresented
afterthequestionnaireitself.

TASKEVALUATIONQUESTIONNAIRE

Foreachofthefollowingstatements,pleaseindicatehowtrueitisforyou,usingthefollowing
scale:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
notatall somewhat very
true true true

1. WhileIwasworkingonthetaskIwasthinkingabouthowmuchIenjoyedit.

2. Ididnotfeelatallnervousaboutdoingthetask.

3. Ifeltthatitwasmychoicetodothetask.

4. IthinkIamprettygoodatthistask.

5. Ifoundthetaskveryinteresting.

6. Ifelttensewhiledoingthetask.
7. IthinkIdidprettywellatthisactivity,comparedtootherstudents.

8. Doingthetaskwasfun.

9. Ifeltrelaxedwhiledoingthetask.

10. Ienjoyeddoingthetaskverymuch.

11. Ididntreallyhaveachoiceaboutdoingthetask.

12. Iamsatisfiedwithmyperformanceatthistask.

13. Iwasanxiouswhiledoingthetask.

14. Ithoughtthetaskwasveryboring.

15. IfeltlikeIwasdoingwhatIwantedtodowhileIwasworkingonthetask.

16. Ifeltprettyskilledatthistask.

17. Ithoughtthetaskwasveryinteresting.

18. Ifeltpressuredwhiledoingthetask.

19. IfeltlikeIhadtodothetask.

20. Iwoulddescribethetaskasveryenjoyable.

21. IdidthetaskbecauseIhadnochoice.

22. Afterworkingatthistaskforawhile,Ifeltprettycompetent.

Scoringinformation.Beginbyreversescoringitems#2,9,11,14,19,21.Inotherwords,
subtracttheitemresponsefrom8,andusetheresultastheitemscoreforthatitem.Thisway,a
higherscorewillindicatemoreoftheconceptdescribedinthesubscalename.Thus,ahigher
scoreonpressure/tensionmeansthepersonfeltmorepressuredandtense;ahigherscoreon
perceivedcompetencemeansthepersonfeltmorecompetent;andsoon.Thencalculate
subscalescoresbyaveragingtheitemsscoresfortheitemsoneachsubscale.Theyareas
follows.The(R)afteranitemnumberisjustareminderthattheitemscoreisthereverseofthe
participantsresponseonthatitem.

Interest/enjoyment: 1,5,8,10,14(R),17,20
Perceivedcompetence: 4,7,12,16,22
 Perceivedchoice: 3,11(R),15,19(R),21(R)
Pressure/tension: 2(R),6,9(R),13,18

Thesubscalescorescanthenbeusedasdependentvariables,predictors,ormediators,depending
ontheresearchquestionsbeingaddressed.

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TEXTMATERIALQUESTIONNAIREI

Foreachofthefollowingstatements,pleaseindicatehowtrueitisforyour,usingthefollowing
scaleasaguide:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
notatall somewhat very
true true true

1. WhileIwasreadingthismaterial,IwasthinkingabouthowmuchIenjoyedit.

2. Ididnotfeelatallnervouswhilereading.

3. Thismaterialdidnotholdmyattentionatall.

4. IthinkIunderstoodthismaterialprettywell.

5. Iwoulddescribethismaterialasveryinteresting.

6. IthinkIunderstoodthismaterialverywell,comparedtootherstudents.

7. Ienjoyedreadingthismaterialverymuch.

8. Ifeltverytensewhilereadingthismaterial.

9. Thismaterialwasfuntoread.
Scoringinformation.Beginbyreversescoringitems#2and3.Inotherwords,subtractthe
itemresponsefrom8,andusetheresultastheitemscoreforthatitem.Thisway,ahigherscore
willindicatemoreoftheconceptdescribedinthesubscalename.Thencalculatesubscalescores
byaveragingtheitemsscoresfortheitemsoneachsubscale.Theyareshownbelow.The(R)
afteranitemnumberisjustareminderthattheitemscoreisthereverseoftheparticipants
responseonthatitem.

Interest/enjoyment: 1,3(R),5,7,9
Perceivedcompetence: 4,6,
Pressure/tension: 2(R),8

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Thenextversionofthequestionnairewasusedforastudyofinternalizationwithan
uninterestingcomputertask(Decietal.,1994).

ACTIVITYPERCEPTIONQUESTIONNAIRE

Thefollowingitemsconcernyourexperiencewiththetask.Pleaseanswerallitems.Foreach
item,pleaseindicatehowtruethestatementisforyou,usingthefollowingscaleasaguide:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
notatall somewhat very
true true true

1. Ibelievethatdoingthisactivitycouldbeofsomevalueforme.

2. IbelieveIhadsomechoiceaboutdoingthisactivity.

3. WhileIwasdoingthisactivity,IwasthinkingabouthowmuchIenjoyedit.

4. Ibelievethatdoingthisactivityisusefulforimprovedconcentration.

5. Thisactivitywasfuntodo.
6. Ithinkthisactivityisimportantformyimprovement.

7. Ienjoyeddoingthisactivityverymuch.

8. Ireallydidnothaveachoiceaboutdoingthisactivity.

9. IdidthisactivitybecauseIwantedto.

10. Ithinkthisisanimportantactivity.

11. IfeltlikeIwasenjoyingtheactivitywhileIwasdoingit.

12. Ithoughtthiswasaveryboringactivity.

13. Itispossiblethatthisactivitycouldimprovemystudyinghabits.

14. IfeltlikeIhadnochoicebuttodothisactivity.

15. Ithoughtthiswasaveryinterestingactivity.

16. IamwillingtodothisactivityagainbecauseIthinkitissomewhatuseful.

17. Iwoulddescribethisactivityasveryenjoyable.

18. IfeltlikeIhadtodothisactivity.

19. Ibelievedoingthisactivitycouldbesomewhatbeneficialforme.

20. IdidthisactivitybecauseIhadto.

21. Ibelievedoingthisactivitycouldhelpmedobetterinschool.

22. WhiledoingthisactivityIfeltlikeIhadachoice.

23. Iwoulddescribethisactivityasveryfun.

24. Ifeltlikeitwasnotmyownchoicetodothisactivity.

25. Iwouldbewillingtodothisactivityagainbecauseithassomevalueforme.

Scoringinformation.Beginbyreversescoringitems#8,12,14,18,20,and24by
subtractingtheitemresponsefrom8andusingtheresultastheitemscoreforthatitem.Then
calculatesubscalescoresbyaveragingtheitemsscoresfortheitemsoneachsubscale.Theyare
shownbelow.The(R)afteranitemnumberisjustareminderthattheitemscoreisthereverse
oftheparticipantsresponseonthatitem.

Interest/enjoyment: 3,5,7,11,12(R),15,17,23
Value/usefulness: 1,4,6,10,13,16,19,21,25
Perceivedchoice: 2,8(R),9,14(R),18(R),20(R),22,24(R)

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SUBJECTIMPRESSIONSQUESTIONNAIRE

Thefollowingsentencesdescribethoughtsandfeelingsyoumayhavehadregardingtheother
personwhoparticipatedintheexperimentwithyou.Foreachofthefollowingstatementplease
indicatehowtrueitisforyou,usingthefollowingscaleasaguide:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
notatall somewhat very
true true true

1. WhileIwasinteractingwiththisperson,IwasthinkingabouthowmuchIenjoyedit.

2. Ifeltreallydistanttothisperson.

3. Ididnotfeelatallnervousaboutinteractingwiththisperson.

4. IfeltlikeIhadchoiceaboutinteractingwiththisperson.

5. Iwoulddescribeinteractingwiththispersonasveryenjoyable.

6. IreallydoubtthatthispersonandIwouldeverbecomefriends.

7. Ifoundthispersonveryinteresting.

8. Ienjoyedinteractingwiththispersonverymuch.
9. Ifelttensewhileinteractingwiththisperson.

10. IreallyfeellikeIcouldtrustthisperson.

11. Interactingwiththispersonwasfun.

12. Ifeltrelaxedwhileinteractingwiththisperson.

13. Idlikeachancetointeractmorewiththisperson.

14. Ididntreallyhaveachoiceaboutinteractingwiththisperson.

15. Itriedhardtohaveagoodinteractionwiththisperson.

16. Idreallyprefernottointeractwiththispersoninthefuture.

17. Iwasanxiouswhileinteractingwiththisperson.

18. Ithoughtthispersonwasveryboring.

19. IfeltlikeIwasdoingwhatIwantedtodowhileIwasinteractingwiththisperson.

20. Itriedveryhardwhileinteractingwiththisperson.

21. IdontfeellikeIcouldreallytrustthisperson.

22. Ithoughtinteractingwiththispersonwasveryinteresting.

23. Ifeltpressuredwhileinteractingwiththisperson.

24. IthinkitslikelythatthispersonandIcouldbecomefriends.

25. IfeltlikeIhadtointeractwiththisperson.

26. Ifeelreallyclosetothisperson.

27. Ididntputmuchenergyintointeractingwiththisperson.

28. IinteractedwiththispersonbecauseIhadnochoice.

29. Iputsomeeffortintointeractingwiththisperson.
Scoringinformation.Beginbyreversescoringitems#2,3,6,12,14,16,18,21,25,27,
and28bysubtractingtheitemresponsefrom8andusingtheresultastheitemscoreforthat
item.Thencalculatesubscalescoresbyaveragingtheitemsscoresfortheitemsoneach
subscale.Theyareshownbelow.The(R)afteranitemnumberisjustareminderthattheitem
scoreisthereverseoftheparticipantsresponseonthatitem.

Relatedness: 2(R),6(R),10,13,16(R),21(R),24,26
Interest/enjoyment: 1,5,7,8,11,18(R),22
Perceivedchoice: 4,14(R),19,25(R),28(R)
Pressure/tension: 3(R),9,12(R),17,23,
Effort: 15,20,27(R),29