Session 3: A Short History of Learning Environment Research - Murray

1930s - Murray's need-press model and Lewin's formula

Henry A. Murray (1893 - 1988) was an American psychologist who majored in history at Harvard University and earned an M.D and an M.A in biology in 1919 from Columbia University.

In 1927, he developed the concept of latent (inner) needs , manifest (outward) needs, "press" (external influences on motivation) and "thema" - "a pattern of press and need that coalesces around particular interactions".

In 1938 he published Explorations in Personality, now a classic in psychology, which includes a description of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) , manual. "Apperception" refers to projecting fantasy imagery onto an objective stimulus. This allowed trained interpreters to reveal a person's dominant drives, emotions, sentiments, complexes and conflicts of a personality. This was part of Murray's Psychogenic Needs which included the Need for Power (nPow), Affliction (nAff) and Achievement (nAch). This formed the basis of models of management effectiveness (Richard Boyatzis), Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and ideas relating to Positive psychology.

Some Sample TAT Cards

Slides on his life can be found here.

A major assumption of Murray’s theory was that behaviour is driven by an internal state of disequilibrium. We will behave in a certain fashion till we reach equilibrium.

Some reknown works include:
(1938). Explorations in Personality. New York: Oxford University Press
(1940). What should psychologists do about psychoanalysis? Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 35, 150–175.
(1953) Personality in nature, society, and culture
(1962) Explorations in Personality: A Clinical and Experimental Study of Fifty Men of College Age

Other famous researchers...

1960s - Walberg's and Moo's developed LEI and CES

Moo's schema:
Personal Development: (Personal Growth & Self-enhancement)
Stimulation - Pleasure & Satisfaction,
Achievement - Improvement of performance, progression & broadening of interests
Efficacy - Feeling of competence, ability and success

Relationships: (Extent of people involvement & support for each other)
Helpfulness - Cooperation and support among students,
Participation - Participation and valuation of each individual in the group,
Responsibility - Trust and responsibility of activities and learning

System change/maintenance: (orderliness of environment)
Creativity - Personal expression with creative and artistic activities,
Influence - Expression of views and ideas on school matters and opportunity to be heard,
Safety - Absence of danger, violence and harassment,
Control - Presence of rules, organisation, self-discipline

1970s - Fraser and Fisher