Intrinsic Motivation Inventory – IMI
A multidimensional measurement device intended to assess participants' subjective experience related to a target activity in laboratory experiments.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Intrinsic Motivation Inventory – IMI was developed by Richard M. Ryan, Edward L. Deci (1982). It is designed to measure Intrinsic Motivation. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents participating in experimental tasks.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 45 items organized into 7 factors/subscales: Interest/Enjoyment, Perceived Competence, Effort/Importance, Pressure/Tension, Perceived Choice, Value/Usefulness, Relatedness.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Interest/Enjoyment | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 | 7 |
| Perceived Competence | 8,9,10,11,12,13 | 6 |
| Effort/Importance | 14,15,16,17,18 | 5 |
| Pressure/Tension | 19,20,21,22,23 | 5 |
| Perceived Choice | 24,25,26,27,28,29,30 | 7 |
| Value/Usefulness | 31,32,33,34,35,36,37 | 7 |
| Relatedness | 38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at all true, 2 = , 3 = , 4 = Somewhat true, 5 = , 6 = , 7 = Very true.
The scale includes 16 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 1 to 7. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low: 1 – 3
- Moderate: 4 – 4
- High: 5 – 7
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Factor loadings >= 0.60, stable across a variety of tasks.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.