Higher Order Need Strength Measure B

Abstract

The Higher Order Need Strength Measure B is a specialized, 12-item forced-choice instrument designed by J. R. Hackman and G. R. Oldham as Section 7 of the comprehensive Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS). Its primary function is to assess a worker’s intrinsic interest in deriving “growth satisfaction” from their occupation. This measurement is crucial in understanding individual differences in motivation and predicting how employees will respond to jobs that are high in core job characteristics, as defined by the Job Characteristics Model. The measure contrasts preferences for higher-order needs (such as challenge, creativity, and independence) against preferences for lower-order needs (such as high pay, security, and friendly coworkers).

Keywords

Job Diagnostic Survey, Need strength, Growth Need Strength, Higher-Order Needs, Job Satisfaction, Work Motivation, Job Characteristics Model, Hackman and Oldham

Authors

J. R. Hackman, G. R. Oldham

Purpose

The central purpose of the Higher Order Need Strength Measure B is to quantify the motivational preference of an individual toward work experiences that promote psychological growth. It seeks to determine the extent to which an employee values intrinsic job characteristics—those related to personal development, learning, and achievement—over extrinsic job characteristics, such as compensation or security. This measure is instrumental in organizational behavior research for diagnosing potential moderators in the relationship between job design and employee outcomes.

By using a forced-choice format, the scale minimizes social desirability bias inherent in direct rating scales, providing a more accurate assessment of an employee’s underlying motivational structure regarding work satisfaction and performance potential within redesigned jobs.

Construct

The scale measures Higher-Order Need Strength (HONS), a psychological construct derived from established theories of motivation (e.g., Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Alderfer’s ERG Theory). Higher-order needs reflect an individual’s desire for self-actualization and personal growth through work. These needs specifically encompass:

• Participation in decision making.
• The use of a variety of valued skills and abilities.
• Freedom and independence in executing tasks.
• Intellectual challenge.
• Expression of creativity.
• The opportunity for continuous learning.

Conversely, the scale implicitly tests the relative value placed on Lower-Order Needs, which include foundational elements such as high pay, fringe benefits, job security, friendly coworkers, and considerate supervision.

Validity

The validity of the Higher Order Need Strength Measure B is intrinsically linked to the overall psychometric properties and theoretical framework of the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS), within which it is embedded. Researchers typically evaluate its validity by examining its moderating role in the Job Characteristics Model. Specifically, strong HONS scores are expected to correlate positively with higher levels of motivation and satisfaction when individuals are placed in jobs characterized by high levels of skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback.

While specific stand-alone validity coefficients for Measure B are not detailed apart from the JDS documentation, the measure is designed to demonstrate predictive validity regarding the efficacy of job enrichment programs. Individuals with high growth need strength are hypothesized to experience stronger positive affective and behavioral outcomes when their jobs are redesigned to be more intrinsically rewarding.

Reliability

Reliability estimates for the Higher Order Need Strength Measure B indicate acceptable to strong internal consistency, depending on the format used. The original research by Hackman and Oldham reported the following internal consistency reliability (using coefficient alpha) for the measure:

• For the “would like” format (an alternative assessment method often used in conjunction with the JDS), internal consistency reliability was reported as 0.88.
• For the primary “job choice” format (Measure B), internal consistency reliability was reported as 0.71.

The reliability figures suggest that the 12 items consistently measure the underlying construct of growth need strength, although the “would like” format exhibits slightly higher reliability scores than the forced-choice format.

Factor Analysis

As the Higher Order Need Strength Measure B is designed to operationalize a unitary construct—the overall desire for growth and intrinsic satisfaction—it is intended to function as a single factor measure. Detailed factor analytic results are referenced within the full technical reports for the Job Diagnostic Survey. The data analysis presented in the original report focuses on the means and variances of the resulting scores, supporting the view that the measure yields a reliable composite score reflecting the predominance of an individual’s higher-order preferences in an organizational behavior context.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report; Forced-choice preference inventory

Format: 12 paired-comparison items (A vs. B) rated on a 5-point Likert scale (Strongly Prefer A to Strongly Prefer B).

Language Available: English (Primary publication language)

Population Group: Working adults, specifically employees across various occupational sectors.

Age Group: Adult working population.

Population Details: The initial sample included over 1,500 individuals drawn from 100 distinct jobs spanning 15 different companies. The respondents represented a diverse occupational mix, including blue-collar, white-collar, and professional workers.

Test Methodology: Participants are presented with 12 pairs of job characteristics (one representing a higher-order need, the other often representing a lower-order need or negative job condition) and asked to indicate their preference strength for one characteristic over the other. The scoring yields a composite measure of the individual’s growth need strength.

Keywords

Job design, Organizational psychology, Work motivation, JDS, Growth satisfaction, Internal consistency, Job preferences, Extrinsic motivation, Intrinsic motivation

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source material.

Correspondence Address: New Haven, CT: Yale University, Department of Administrative Sciences (at the time of publication).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1974 (Date of Technical Report No. 4).

Permissions: Permissions for use are typically governed by the usage guidelines established for the comprehensive Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS). Researchers must consult current guidelines established by the authors or their affiliated institutions.

Fee: Fee information is not provided in the source material and should be sought from the current rights holders of the JDS.

Reference’s

The primary source document for the scale and its development is:

• Hackman, J. R., and Oldham, G. R. (1974). The Job Diagnostic Survey: An instrument for the diagnosis of jobs and the evaluation of job redesign projects. New Haven, CT: Yale University, Department of Administrative Sciences, Technical Report No. 4.

Additional research utilizing or referencing the scale includes:

• Cameron, G. J. (1984). The effects of clinical and traditional supervision methods on the satisfaction levels of higher and lower-order need teachers. EdD dissertation, University of San Diego.
• Dunham, R. B. (1976). The measurement and dimensionality of job characteristics. Journal of Applied Psychology 61:404–9.
• Katz, R. (1978). Job longevity as a situational factor in job satisfaction. Administrative Science Quarterly 23:204–23.
• Pastor, M. C., and Erlandson, D. A. (1982). A study of higher order need strength and job satisfaction in secondary public school teachers. Journal of Educational Administration 20:172–83.

Items of the Higher Order Need Strength Measure B

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

1. a. A job where the pay is very good.
   b. A job where there is considerable opportunity to be creative and innovative.
2. a. A job where you are often required to make important decisions.
   b. A job with many pleasant people to work with.
3. a. A job in which greater responsibility is given to those who do the best work.
   b. A job in which greater responsibility is given to loyal employees who have the most seniority.
4. a. A job in an organization which is in financial trouble—and might have to close down within the year.
   b. A job in which you are not allowed to have any say whatever in how your work is scheduled, or in the procedures to be used in carrying it out.
5. a. A very routine job.
   b. A job where your coworkers are not very friendly.
6. a. A job with a supervisor who is often very critical of you and your work in front of other people.
   b. A job which prevents you from using a number of skills that you worked hard to develop.
7. a. A job with a supervisor who respects you and treats you fairly.
   b. A job which provides constant opportunities for you to learn new and interesting things.
8. a. A job where there is a real chance you could be laid off.
   b. A job with very little chance to do challenging work.
9. a. A job in which there is a real chance for you to develop new skills and advance in the organization.
   b. A job which provides lots of vacation time and an excellent fringe benefit package.
10. a. A job with little freedom and independence to do your work in the way you think best.
    b. A job where the working conditions are poor.
11. a. A job with very satisfying teamwork.
    b. A job which allows you to use your skills and abilities to the fullest extent.
12. a. A job which offers little or no challenge.
    b. A job which requires you to be completely isolated from coworkers.

Scoring: Participants respond using a 5-point scale: Strongly Prefer A = 1; Slightly Prefer A = 2; Neutral = 3; Slightly Prefer B = 4; and Strongly Prefer B = 5. A mean score over 3.00 signifies a predominance of higher order need choices, indicating strong growth need strength, while a score under 3.00 signifies a predominance of lower order need choices.