Murray's Learned Needs Theory (Manifest Needs)
Murray (1938) has proposed a set of needs (motives) that he believes greatly control human behavior. According to him, needs arise from physiological deficiencies, but they symbolize quite stable personality traits (Can, 1985; 32).
Murray called his approach "personology" and identified the basic needs of personality. Murray, who is not very interested in the needs arising from the internal organs such as food and water, focused on the needs of psychological origin (Burger, 2006; 246). Murray (1938) defined a psychological need as a state of readiness to react in a certain way in a given situation. (Burger, 2006; 246).
According to Murray, requirements are not phenomena that can be observed by the researcher. Requirements are hypothetical-theoretical constructs established by the researcher to explain human behavior, which can only be deduced from observable behaviors. Requirements, on the other hand, can best be derived from some dreams, fairy tales. In addition, needs are not internal tendencies but learned behaviors (Onaran, 1981; 202).
Murray’e göre gereksinimler hiyerarşisi genel geçer değil kişiseldir. Örneğin, çok sayıda yakın arkadaşınızın olması için bir gereksinim duyuyorsanız, sizin Yakın İlişki gereksinimiz vardır. Bu gereksinim, diğer insanların Yakın İlişki gereksinimiyle karşılaştırıldığında çok olmayabilir; ancak sizin diğer gereksinimlerinize göre daha baskın ise sizin için önemli bir gereksinimdir. Örneğin yarın önemli bir sınavınız var ve arkadaşlarınız bir parti veriyor. Eğer başarı gereksiniminiz, kişisel gereksinim hiyerarşinizde Yakın İlişki ya da Oyun gereksiniminizden yüksekse, büyük olasılıkla evde kalıp ders çalışırsınız. Eğer başarı gereksiniminiz yüksek olmasına rağmen, bu bahsedilen gereksinimler kadar güçlü değilse, sınavdan yüksek bir not alamazsınız (Burger, 2006; 246).
Murray (1955) stated that these secondary or psychological needs, presumably derived from dependent and primary needs, symbolize common response systems and desires, but they should not be considered basic, biological drives, although some may be hereditary.
The first five motives concern the main actions related to inanimate objects (Murray, 1955: 63):
- Acquisition need (n Acquisition): Wealth, possession of property. Don't grab, grab, steal things. Don't bargain, don't gamble. Working for money or real estate.
- Need for protection (n Conservance): Behaviors that include collecting, repairing, cleaning, and protecting against damage
- Order requirement (nOrder): Organizing, arranging, eliminating objects. Being tidy and clean. Don't be totally meticulous.
- Retention need (n Retention): To retain, to keep, to refuse to lend, to hoard. Being frugal, economical and stingy.
- Building requirement (n Construction): Arrange and build.
- 6.1. Achievement requirement (n Ahievement): Overcoming obstacles, using strength, trying to do some difficult things as quickly and well as possible.
- 6.2. Recognition need (n Recognition): To evoke praise and appreciation, to demand respect. It involves bragging and displaying one's achievements. It includes the desire for superiority, social prestige, honor and high position.
Murray also stated in his study that the motivation to show-exhibit can be evaluated together with the motivation to be recognized. The motivation to show (n Exhibition); It involves showing an interest in the person's personality, and is described with behaviors such as provoking, making others laugh, exciting, surprising and frightening. It is to dramatize oneself with it.
The next needs are desires and actions that complement “Achievement” and “Recognition” and include maintaining one's status or avoiding humiliation (Murray, 1955: 64):
7. The need not to be touched (n Inviolate): This motive includes desires and attempts to prevent the loss of one's self-esteem. It refers to protecting one's 'good reputation', being exempt from criticism, and maintaining psychological 'distance'. This is based on arrogance and personal sensitivity. This motive is thought of in the motive of seclusion (isolation, silence, self-concealment). Murray used this motive in his work as the opposite of "Exhibition motive" (n Exhibition). The motive not to be touched is divided into three motives (Murray, 1955; 64):
- 7.1. The need to avoid (n Infavoidance); It is one's avoidance of error, embarrassment, humiliation, and ridicule. It is the refrain from attempting to do certain things that are beyond one's power.
- 7.2. Defense requirement (n Defense); Defending oneself against accusations or belittlement. Justifying his actions manifests itself in extenuating circumstances, explanations, and excuses.
- 7.3. Misilleme gereksinimi (n Counteraction); Kişinin kısıtlamalarla ve misillemeler yaparak, gururla bozgunun üstesinden gelmesidir. En zor işleri seçmesi ve kişinin onurunu belirli bir eylem içinde savunmasıdır.
The next five motives are related to the individual's use of power, resistance to power, and surrender to power (Murray, 1955; 64-65):
8. Need for dominance (n Dominance): It is one's ability to influence or control others. To persuade, to forbid, to command. To lead and manage. Limit. Organizing the behavior of a group.
9. Obedience requirement (n Deference): It involves following, following, and appreciating a superior person with consent.
10. Need for similarity (n Similance): It is the need for empathy, imitation or imitation of someone. The person identifies with others, consents, and believes in them.
11. The need for independence (n Autonomy): It is a person's resistance to influence or coercion. Defying an authority or seeking freedom in a new place and striving for independence.
12. The need to be different (n Contrarience): It is the desire to act differently from others and to be unique. It is taking the opposite side and adopting unconventional views.
Murray (1955) notes that the next two motives are similar to the well-known sado-masochistic split;
13. Aggression need (n Aggression): A desire to attack or injure someone close Desire to kill, humiliate, harm, blame, accuse or maliciously ridicule, severely punish a person. Sadism.
14. The need to humiliate oneself (n Abasement): It is one's submission, obedience and acceptance of punishment. To apologize, to confess, to make amends. To lower your own value. masochism.
The next motive is evaluated in a separate position. Because it includes a subjectively separable form of behavior. That is, shyness-shyness. (Murray, 1955; 65):
15. Shyness need (n Blamavoidance): It is the person's avoidance of behaviors such as blaming, excluding or punishing others, by restraining oneself from asocial or unconventional reactions. It is a demonstration of a willingness to be polite and obey the rules.
The next four motives are what people do out of love-kindness; their motives for seeking, changing, letting go or hiding love (Murray, 1955; 65):
16. Need for affiliation (n affliation): It is the person's shaping of friendships and relationships. It includes greeting others, joining them, and living with them. Collaborating and engaging in social conversations with others. Like, join groups, etc. show behaviors.
17. Reddetme gereksinimi (n Rejection): Bir kimseyi hiçe saymak, göz ardı etmek ya da dışlamaktır. Uzak durmak, umursamamak, ayrımcı olmak vb.
18. Yetiştirme gereksinimi (n Nurturance): Yardıma muhtaç bir kişiye bakmak, ona yardım etmek, korumak ve anlayış göstermektir. Bir çocuğa “annelik” yapmak vb.
19. Need for help request (n Succorance): It is the person's desire for help, protection and understanding. Needing help and compassion. It is a person's attachment to a compassion and family that takes care of him. It is to be dependent.
Murray (1955) stated in his study that he was hesitant to add the following three motives. The last two motives are complementary motives that occur with great frequency in social life, reflecting the need to ask and tell:
20. The need for play (n Play): It is the person's relaxation, entertainment, distraction and pursuit of entertainment. Having a good time, playing games, laughing, joking and being pleasant, etc. Behaviors that involve avoidance of serious tension.
21. Comprehension need (n Cognizance); It is one's exploration (by wandering or touching), asking questions, pleasing to wonder, looking, listening, checking, reading, seeking information.
22. Explanation requirement (n Exposition): It is the person to point and show. It is to tell the truth, to give information, to explain, to interpret, to give lessons.
Murray believes that each requirement has two elements: Direction and Intensity. Direction; It refers to the person or object whose motivation is expected to be satisfied. In case of hunger, a local kiosk is needed, which tells the direction of the urge. Intensity; represents the importance of the motive (Moorhead and Griffin, 1989; 114).
Whether a need is activated or not depends on the situation, Murray calls this 'pressure'. For example, your need for Order will not affect your behavior when there is no pressure like a messy room. If your need for organization is strong, you'll likely find time to tidy up, even if your room is a little cluttered. However, if your need for Layout is low, you can wait until your room becomes unbearable. Even in this case, you may be motivated by the need to please your roommate rather than seeing your room properly (Burger, 2006; 246).