acquired drive
C1/C2Academic, Psychological, Formal
Definition
Meaning
A psychological or motivational state that is learned through experience rather than being innate or biological.
A secondary motivation developed through association with primary biological drives (like hunger or thirst), often studied in behavioral psychology. It can refer to learned ambitions, habits, or desires that compel behavior.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Contrasts with 'primary drive' or 'instinct'. Implies a process of learning or conditioning. Often used in discussions of motivation theory, behaviorism, and learning psychology.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in both varieties, as it is a technical term from psychology.
Connotations
Neutral, scientific. May carry a slight mid-20th century behaviorist association.
Frequency
Low frequency in general language; used almost exclusively in academic or professional psychological contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to have an acquired drive for + NOUN (e.g., for approval)to develop an acquired drive through + NOUN/VERB-ING (e.g., through training)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might be used metaphorically in leadership or HR contexts to discuss learned ambition or competitive spirit.
Academic
Primary context. Used in psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science textbooks and journals.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound overly technical.
Technical
Core context. Precisely defined in psychological literature, especially related to Clark Hull's drive theory and behaviorism.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The rats acquired a drive to press the lever through association with food.
American English
- Through persistent training, the athlete acquired a drive to win that surpassed his innate competitiveness.
adjective
British English
- The acquired-drive hypothesis was central to mid-century behaviourist thought.
American English
- Her acquired-drive mentality was evident in her relentless pursuit of professional certifications.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Some psychologists believe that the desire for money is an acquired drive, not a basic human need.
- Hull's theory posited that acquired drives, like the anxiety that motivates avoidance behaviour, are established when a neutral stimulus is paired with a primary drive reduction.
- The researcher's study focused on whether social media use creates an acquired drive for constant external validation.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: ACQUIRED = learned, like acquiring a skill. DRIVE = a push to act. An ACQUIRED DRIVE is a 'learned push'.
Conceptual Metaphor
MOTIVATION IS A FORCE (that can be acquired/learned). PSYCHOLOGY IS A MACHINE (with drives as components).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'приобретённый драйв' which is a colloquial calque. The correct equivalent is 'приобретённый (или вторичный) мотив' or 'условная потребность'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a synonym for 'ambition' without the psychological learning component.
- Confusing it with 'acquired taste'.
- Misspelling as 'aquired drive'.
- Using in non-psychological contexts where 'motivation' or 'desire' would be more natural.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST example of an acquired drive?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, not exactly. A habit is a specific, often automatic, learned behaviour. An acquired drive is the underlying learned motivational state that might produce or energise a set of habits. The drive is the 'why', the habit is the 'what'.
The drive to check your smartphone for notifications. The phone itself doesn't satisfy a biological need, but through association with social rewards (primary drives like social connection), checking it becomes a powerful learned motivation.
In psychological terminology, ambition is typically considered a complex mix of motivations, many of which would be classified as acquired drives (e.g., drive for status, drive for security learned through experience). However, in everyday language, 'ambition' is broader.
The concept is most strongly associated with Clark L. Hull's behavioral drive theory (1940s-50s). He proposed that learned stimuli associated with primary drive reduction (e.g., hunger) could themselves become drives.