Aspiration Index

Abstract

The Aspiration Index (AI) is a widely utilized psychological instrument developed by Tim Kasser and Richard M. Ryan. Its primary function is to assess the structure and content of individuals’ life goals and future aspirations. The scale is grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and differentiates between two major domains of aspirations: Intrinsic Goals, which are inherently satisfying and related to psychological needs (e.g., self-acceptance, community, affiliation), and Extrinsic Goals, which focus on external rewards or social validation (e.g., financial success, social recognition, appealing appearance). The AI typically requires respondents to rate both the importance of achieving these goals and the likelihood of their attainment.

Research consistently demonstrates that prioritizing intrinsic aspirations is positively correlated with measures of psychological well-being, whereas a strong focus on extrinsic aspirations often correlates negatively with well-being and positively with distress or problematic behaviors. The scale exists in multiple forms, varying in length and complexity, allowing for flexible application across diverse research contexts.

Keywords

Aspiration Index, Self-Determination Theory, intrinsic goals, extrinsic goals, life goals, values, motivation, psychological assessment, well-being.

Authors

Tim Kasser, Richard M. Ryan, Frederik E. Grouzet (for cross-cultural validation).

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Aspiration Index is to measure individual differences in the importance placed upon specific future life goals, allowing researchers to categorize these goals as primarily intrinsic or extrinsic. By measuring goal content, the instrument enables the empirical testing of hypotheses derived from Self-Determination Theory (SDT) concerning the motivational correlates of well-being.

A secondary purpose is to assess the subjective perceptions of competence and efficacy regarding goal achievement, as participants rate the perceived likelihood of attaining each aspiration. This dual assessment of importance and likelihood provides a richer understanding of an individual’s motivational landscape than importance ratings alone.

Construct

The core construct measured by the Aspiration Index is the individual prioritization of Goal Content, which is bifurcated into two higher-order domains:

1. Intrinsic Goals: These aspirations are inherently satisfying and are hypothesized to directly fulfill basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). Subscales typically categorized as intrinsic include: Self-Acceptance (personal growth, insight), Affiliation (deep, enduring relationships), Community Feeling (working for the betterment of society), and Physical Health (fitness, freedom from sickness).
2. Extrinsic Goals: These aspirations are focused on obtaining external rewards, praise, or social comparison. They are often pursued as a means to an end. Subscales typically categorized as extrinsic include: Financial Success (wealth, expensive possessions), Social Recognition (fame, admiration), and Attractive Appearance (image, physical attractiveness).

Validity

The validity of the Aspiration Index is primarily established through extensive research supporting its conceptual foundation within Self-Determination Theory. **Construct validity** is demonstrated by the consistent finding that the intrinsic goal subscales cluster together, separate from the extrinsic goal subscales, across different populations and cultures.

**Criterion validity** is supported by numerous studies showing differential correlations with measures of adjustment. Specifically, the importance placed on intrinsic goals positively correlates with indices of psychological health, self-actualization, and vitality, while the importance placed on extrinsic goals often correlates positively with anxiety, depression, narcissism, and materialism. The cross-cultural study by Grouzet et al. (2005) further confirmed the structural validity of the goal content categories across 15 nations.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the Aspiration Index subscales is generally reported as good to excellent. Studies typically report Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.70 to high 0.80s for both the intrinsic and extrinsic meta-factors, indicating strong reliability in measuring these domains.

Furthermore, the scale exhibits adequate **test-retest reliability**, suggesting that an individual’s prioritization of major life goals remains relatively stable over periods ranging from several weeks to one year, confirming that the AI measures enduring aspects of personal values and aspirations.

Factor Analysis

Factor analyses, including exploratory and confirmatory techniques, consistently support the hierarchical structure of the Aspiration Index. Initial analyses identified several distinct goal domains (e.g., Financial Success, Image, Health). Subsequent analyses revealed that these domains aggregate into the two fundamental, orthogonal meta-factors: Intrinsic Goals and Extrinsic Goals.

The extensive cross-cultural validation (Grouzet et al., 2005) utilized a circumplex model to map the relationships between 11 specific goal clusters (Money, Image, Popularity, Conformity, Self-Acceptance, Affiliation, Community, Health, Spirituality, Hedonism, Safety). This analysis robustly confirmed the intrinsic-extrinsic dimension as the primary axis differentiating human life aspirations globally.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report inventory; Life Goal Assessment; Motivational Scale.

Format: Multiple versions exist (e.g., 42-item, 57-item, 105-item). Items are rated on Likert scales (typically 5, 7, or 9 points) for both importance and perceived likelihood of attainment.

Language Available: English (original) and numerous translations used in cross-cultural research (e.g., Dutch, Korean, Russian, German, French, Spanish).

Population Group: General population, including adolescents, university students, and adults.

Age Group: Typically 16 years and older.

Population Details: Used extensively in Western samples, but validated internationally in over 15 countries.

Test Methodology: Respondents are asked to consider their future and rate how important each listed goal is to them and what the chances are that they will attain that goal. Some versions also measure current attainment or satisfaction with the goal.

Keywords

goal content, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, values assessment, life satisfaction, goal structure, cross-cultural psychology, personality.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not Provided in Source Material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not Provided in Source Material.

Correspondence Address: Not Provided in Source Material.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The original scale was first published in 1993 by Kasser and Ryan. The scale and its variations are generally available for non-commercial academic research upon contact with the primary authors (Tim Kasser or Richard Ryan). The instrument is widely considered an open-source tool for psychological research. The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://www.mindfulness-extended.nl/content3/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Aspirations-Index.pdf

Reference’s

• Kasser‚ T.‚ Ryan‚ R.M. (1993). A dark side of the American dream: Correlates of financial success as a central life aspiration. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology‚ 65‚410–422.

• Kasser‚ T.‚ Ryan‚ R.M. (1996). Further examining the American dream: Differential correlates of intrinsic and extrinsic goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin‚ 22‚280–287.

• Kasser‚ T. (2002). Sketches for a self-determination theory of values. In E. L. Deci‚ & R. M. Ryan (Eds.)‚ Handbook of self-determination research (pp. 123-140). Rochester‚ NY: University of Rochester Press.

• Grouzet‚ F. E.‚ Kasser‚ T.‚ Ahuvia‚ A.‚ Dols‚ J.‚ Kim‚ Y.‚ Lau‚ S.‚ . . . Sheldon‚ K. M. (2005). The structure of goal contents across 15 cultures. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology‚ 89(5)‚ 800–816.

• Kasser & Ryan‚ (1996). Aspiration Index. In: Simmons C. A.‚ Lehmann P. (eds). Tools for strengths-based assessment and evaluation‚ New York‚ NY: Springer‚ pp. 261-265. (2013). Google Scholar

• This instrument can be found at: http://faculty.knox.edu/tkasser/aspirations.html

Items of the Aspiration Index

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

This first set of questions asks you about the future. Rate each item by circling how important it is to you that it happen in the future. Then circle the chances that it will happen in the future.

Importance: 1= not at all‚ 2=a little‚ 3=So/So‚ 4= pretty impt.‚ 5= very impt.

Chances: 1= very low‚ 2= low‚ 3= 50/50‚ 4=high‚ 5= very high

IN THE FUTURE…

1. You will be physically healthy.
2. Your name will be known by many people.
3. You will have people comment often about how attractive you look.
4. You will have a lot of expensive possessions.
5. You will be famous.
6. You will donate time or money to ch‎arity.
7. You will feel good about your level of physical fitness.
8. You will be the one in ch‎arge of your life.
9. You will have good friends that you can count on.
10. You will keep up with fashions in hair and clothing.
11. You will teach others the things that you know.
12. You will have a job that pays well.
13. You will exercise regularly.
14. You will share your life with someone you love.
15. You will be admired by many people.
16. At the end of your life‚ you will look back on your life as meaningful and complete.
17. You will avoid things bad for your health (such as smoking‚ excessive alcohol‚ etc.)
18. You will have people who care about you and are supportive.
19. You will work for the betterment of society.
20. You will be married to one person for life.
21. You will be your own boss.
22. You will achieve the “look” you’ve been after.
23. You will deal effectively with problems that come up in your life.
24. You will feel energetic and full of life.
25. You will have a job with high social status.
26. You will have good‚ open relationships with your children.
27. You will work to make the world a better place.
28. You will successfully hide the signs of aging.
29. Your name will appear frequently in the media.
30. You will know people that you can have fun with.
31. You will be relatively free from sickness.
32. You will help others improve their lives.
33. Your body shape and type will be fairly close to ideal.
34. You will buy things just because you want them.
35. You will know and accept who you really are.
36. You will eat healthfully and moderately.
37. You will be financially successful.
38. You will do something that brings you much recognition.
39. You will help people in need.
40. You will have a couple of good friends that you can talk to about personal things.
41. You will be talked about years after your death.
42. Your image will be one others find appealing.

Self-Acceptance: (8‚ 16‚ 23‚ 35)‚ Affiliation (9‚ 14‚ 18‚ 30‚ 40)‚ Community Feeling (6‚ 19‚ 27‚ 32‚ 39)‚ Physical Fitness (1‚ 7‚ 24‚ 31)‚ Financial Success (4‚ 12‚ 25‚ 37)‚ Attractive Appearance (3‚ 10‚ 22‚ 28‚ 42)‚ Social Recognition (2‚ 5‚ 15‚ 29‚ 38)

This set of questions asks you about goals you may have for the future. Rate each item by circling how important each goal is to you. Then circle the chances that you will attain the goal.

Importance: 1= not at all‚ to 9= very extremely

Chances: 1= very low‚ 9= very high

1. There will always be someone around to take care of me.
2. I will be efficient.
3. My image will be one other’s find appealing.
4. I will find personal answers to universal spiritual questions (such as: Is there a supreme spiritual being? Is there life after death? What is the meaning of life?)
5. I will be in control of my emotions.
6. I will assist people who need it‚ asking nothing in return.
7. I will choose what I do‚ instead of being pushed along by life.
8. People will show affection to me‚ and I will to them.
9. I will feel energetic and full of life.
10. I will have few threats to my personal safety.
11. My life will be full of wine‚ lovers and song.
12. I will have many expensive possessions.
13. I will achieve the “look” I’ve been after.
14. I will be admired by many people.
15. I will be polite and obedient
16. I will have a great sex life.
17. I will have developed a code of ethics and/or morals to guide my life.
18. My basic needs for food‚ shelter and clothing will be met.
19. I will feel that there are people who really love me.
20. I will feel free.
21. The things I do will make other people’s lives better.
22. My name will be known by many different people.
23. I will be in good physical shape.
24. Someone in my life will accept me as I am‚ no matter what.
25. I will follow my interests and curiosity where they take me.
26. I will find satisfying religious and/or spiritual activities.
27. I will live up to the expectations of my society.
28. I will deal effectively with problems in my life.
29. I will feel safe and secure.
30. People will often comment about how attractive I look.
31. I will feel good about my level of physical fitness.
32. I will be financially successful.
33. I will have a lot of excitement in my life.
34. I will not have to worry about bad things happening to me.
35. I will produce something of lasting worth.
36. I will find religious or spiritual beliefs that help me make sense of the world.
37. Most everyone who knows me will like me.
38. I will feel good about my abilities.
39. I will successfully hide the signs of aging.
40. I will be relatively free from sickness.
41. My desires and tastes will be similar to those of other people.
42. I will have enough money to buy everything I want.
43. I will express my love for special people.
44. I will find religious and/or spiritual beliefs that are growth-producing.
45. I will overcome the challenges that life presents me.
46. I will have insight into why I do the things I do.
47. I will help the world become a better place.
48. I will experience a great deal of sensual pleasure.
49. My life and actions will be in agreement with my religious/spiritual beliefs.
50. I will have a committed‚ intimate relationship.
51. I will have a job that pays well.
52. I will “fit in” with others.
53. I will be physically healthy.
54. I will have plenty of time to be lazy.
55. I will keep up with fashions in clothing and hair.
56. My surroundings will be stable and relatively unchanging.
57. People will really respect me.

Money: (12‚ 32‚ 42‚ 51)‚ image (3‚ 13‚ 30‚ 39‚ 55)‚ popularity: 14‚ 22‚ 37)‚ conformity: (15‚ 27‚ 41‚ 52)‚ self-acceptance: (2‚ 7‚ 20‚ 28‚ 38‚ 45‚ 46)‚ affiliation: (8‚ 19‚ 24‚ 43‚ 50)‚ community: (6‚ 21‚ 47)‚ health: (23‚ 31‚ 40‚ 53)‚ spirituality: (4‚ 26‚ 36‚ 44‚ 49)‚ hedonism: (16‚ 33‚ 48)‚ safety: (10‚18 ‚29‚ 34)

This set of questions asks you about goals you may have for the future. Rate each item by circling how important each goal is to you. Then circle the chances that you will attain the goal.

Importance: 1= not at all‚ to 9= very extremely

Chances: 1= very low‚ 9= very high

1. I will be efficient
2. My image will be one other’s find appealing
3. I will find personal answers to universal spiritual questions (such as: Is there a supreme spiritual being? Is there life after death? What is the meaning of life?)
4. I will assist people who need it‚ asking nothing in return
5. I will choose what I do‚ instead of being pushed along by life
6. People will show affection to me‚ and I will to them
7. I will have few threats to my personal safety
8. I will have many expensive possessions
9. I will achieve the “look” I’ve been after
10. I will be admired by many people
11. I will be polite and obedient
12. I will have a great sex life
13. My basic needs for food‚ shelter‚ and clothing will be met
14. I will feel that there are people who really love me
15. I will feel free
16. The things I do will make other people’s lives better
17. My name will be known by many different people
18. I will be in good physical shape
19. Someone in my life will accept me as I am‚ no matter what
20. I will find satisfying religious and/or spiritual activities
21. I will live up to the expectations of my society
22. I will deal effectively with problems in my life
23. I will feel safe and secure
24. People will often comment about how attractive I look
25. I will feel good about my level of physical fitness
26. I will be financially successful
27. I will have a lot of excitement in my life
28. I will not have to worry about bad things happening to me
29. I will find religious or spiritual beliefs that help me make sense of the world
30. Most everyone who knows me will like me
31. I will feel good about my abilities
32. I will successfully hide the signs of aging
33. I will be relatively free from sickness
34. My desires and tastes will be similar to those of other people
35. I will have enough money to buy everything I want
36. I will express my love for special people
37. I will find religious and/or spiritual beliefs that are growth-producing
38. I will overcome the challenges that life presents me
39. I will have insight into why I do the things I do
40. I will help the world become a better place
41. I will experience a great deal of sensual pleasure
42. My life and actions will be in agreement with my religious/spiritual beliefs
43. I will have a committed‚ intimate relationship
44. I will have a job that pays well
45. I will “fi t in” with others
46. I will be physically healthy
47. I will keep up with fashions in clothing and hair

1=not at all‚ to 7=very

Life-goal: To be a very wealthy person.

1. How important is this to you?
2. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
3. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To grow and learn new things.

4. How important is this to you?
5. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
6. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To have my name known by many people.

7. How important is this to you?
8. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
9. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To have good friends that I can count on.

10. How important is this to you?
11. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
12. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To successfully hide the signs of aging.

13. How important is this to you?
14. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
15. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To work for the betterment of society.

16. How important is this to you?
17. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
18. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To be physically healthy.

19. How important is this to you?
20. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
21. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To have many expensive possessions.

22. How important is this to you?
23. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
24. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: At the end of my life‚ to be able to look back on my life as meaningful and complete.

25. How important is this to you?
26. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
27. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To be admired by many people.

28. How important is this to you?
29. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
30. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To share my life with someone I love.

31. How important is this to you?
32. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
33. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To have people comment often about how attractive I look.

34. How important is this to you?
35. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
36. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To assist people who need it‚ asking nothing in return.

37. How important is this to you?
38. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
39. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To feel good about my level of physical fitness.

40. How important is this to you?
41. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
42. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To be financially successful.

43. How important is this to you?
44. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
45. How much is this satisfied currently?

Life-goal: To choose what I do‚ instead of being pushed along by life.

46. How important is this to you?
47. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
48. How much is this satisfied currently?

Life-goal: To be famous.

49. How important is this to you?
50. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
51. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To have committed‚ intimate relationships.

52. How important is this to you?
53. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
54. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To keep up with fashions in hair and clothing.

55. How important is this to you?
56. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
57. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To work to make the world a better place.

58. How important is this to you?
59. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
60. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To keep myself healthy and well.

61. How important is this to you?
62. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
63. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To be rich.

64. How important is this to you?
65. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
66. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To know and accept who I really am.

67. How important is this to you?
68. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
69. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To have my name appear frequently in the media.

70. How important is this to you?
71. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
72. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To feel that there are people who really love me‚ and whom I love.

73. How important is this to you?
74. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
75. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To achieve the “look” I’ve been after.

76. How important is this to you?
77. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
78. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To help others improve their lives.

79. How important is this to you?
80. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
81. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To be relatively free from sickness.

82. How important is this to you?
83. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
84. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To have enough money to buy everything I want.

85. How important is this to you?
86. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
87. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To gain increasing insight into why I do the things I do.

88. How important is this to you?
89. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
90. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To be admired by lots of different people.

91. How important is this to you?
92. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
93. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To have deep enduring relationships.

94. How important is this to you?
95. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
96. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To have an image that others find appealing.

97. How important is this to you?
98. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
99. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To help people in need.

100. How important is this to you?
101. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
102. How much have you already attained this goal?

Life-goal: To have a physically healthy life style.

103. How important is this to you?
104. How likely is it that this will happen in your future?
105. How much have you already attained this goal?

Wealth: (importance 1‚ 22‚ 43‚ 64‚ 85; likelihood 2‚ 23‚ 44‚ 65‚ 86; attainment 3‚ 34‚ 45‚ 66‚ 87)‚ Fame: (importance 7‚ 28‚ 49‚ 70‚ 91; likelihood 8‚ 29‚ 50‚ 71‚ 92; attainment 9‚ 30‚ 51‚ 72‚ 93)‚ Image: (importance 13‚ 34‚ 55‚ 76‚ 97; likelihood 14‚ 35‚ 56‚ 77‚ 98; attainment 15‚ 36‚ 57‚ 78‚ 99)‚ Personal growth: (importance 4‚ 25‚ 46‚ 67‚ 88; likelihood 5‚ 26‚ 47‚ 68‚ 89; attainment 6‚ 27‚ 48‚ 69‚ 90)‚ Relationships: (importance 10‚ 31‚ 52‚ 73‚ 94; likelihood 11‚ 32‚ 53‚ 74‚ 95; attainment 12‚ 33‚ 54‚ 75‚ 96)‚ Community: (importance 16‚ 37‚ 58‚ 79‚ 100; likelihood 17‚ 38‚ 59‚ 80‚ 101; attainment 18‚ 39‚ 60‚ 81‚ 102)‚ Health: (importance 19‚ 40‚ 61‚ 82‚ 103; likelihood 20‚ 41‚ 62‚ 83‚ 104; attainment 21‚ 42‚ 63‚ 84‚ 105)