motivational research: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low / SpecializedFormal / Professional / Academic
Quick answer
What does “motivational research” mean?
A branch of market research focused on uncovering the subconscious psychological motivations, emotions, and desires that drive consumer behavior and purchasing decisions.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A branch of market research focused on uncovering the subconscious psychological motivations, emotions, and desires that drive consumer behavior and purchasing decisions.
The systematic investigation into the deep-seated, often non-rational, psychological factors that influence human choices, preferences, and opinions, originally applied primarily in marketing and advertising. Can also refer to any research aimed at uncovering underlying motives in broader contexts, such as employee behavior or social movements.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or syntactic differences; the compound noun is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
In both regions, the term can carry a slightly dated connotation, associated with the 'Mad Men' era of advertising. In modern contexts, it may be framed as a precursor to 'consumer psychology' or 'behavioral insights'.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both UK and US English, primarily confined to historical discussions of marketing, academic texts in consumer behavior, and specialized market research literature.
Grammar
How to Use “motivational research” in a Sentence
to conduct ~ into consumer desires~ suggests that...~ revealed hidden anxietiesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “motivational research” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The agency was commissioned to research the motivation behind the brand loyalty.
American English
- They researched what truly motivated buyers in that demographic.
adverb
British English
- The campaign was motivationally researched before launch.
American English
- The product was designed motivationally, based on deep-seated needs.
adjective
British English
- The motivational findings were quite revealing.
- They took a motivational approach to the study.
American English
- The research had a strong motivational component.
- He specialized in motivational psychology.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in marketing strategy meetings to argue for deeper understanding of customer emotions beyond sales data.
Academic
Found in textbooks on the history of marketing, consumer behavior studies, and critiques of advertising methods.
Everyday
Very rare; might be used by someone discussing old advertising techniques or documentaries.
Technical
Precise term in market research methodology, specifying a particular qualitative, psychology-based approach.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “motivational research”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “motivational research”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “motivational research”
- Using it as a synonym for any research about motivation (e.g., employee motivation).
- Confusing it with 'market research' in general, which is a much broader field.
- Spelling: misspelling 'motivational' as 'motivative'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but often under modern names like 'consumer psychology', 'ethnographic research', or 'behavioral insights'. The core principles of exploring subconscious motives remain influential.
Standard market research often asks 'what', 'when', and 'how much' (quantitative). Motivational research seeks to answer the deeper 'why' through qualitative, psychological methods.
Ernest Dichter, an Austrian-American psychologist, is widely considered the 'father' of motivational research, applying psychoanalytic concepts to advertising in the mid-20th century.
Absolutely. While born in marketing, its techniques are used in political campaigning, public health initiatives, and social policy to understand the underlying motivations behind public behavior.
A branch of market research focused on uncovering the subconscious psychological motivations, emotions, and desires that drive consumer behavior and purchasing decisions.
Motivational research is usually formal / professional / academic in register.
Motivational research: in British English it is pronounced /ˌməʊtɪˈveɪʃənəl rɪˈsɜːtʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmoʊtɪˈveɪʃənəl rɪˈsɜːrtʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Drill down to the 'why' through motivational research.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of MOTIVational research as finding the hidden MOTIVes behind actions.
Conceptual Metaphor
RESEARCH IS MINING (digging deep for hidden psychological gems), RESEARCH IS PSYCHOANALYSIS (probing the unconscious).
Practice
Quiz
Which method is MOST characteristic of traditional motivational research?