Motivescape: Motivational Topography

The Motivescape™ Segmentation was developed by Dr. Curt Watke to enable ministry practitioners in the contextualization of both their missional message and ministries. Much of what is said and done in the name of Christianity today seems "foreign" to the eyes and ears of neopagan North America. The motivations of those that need to hear the gospel need to be taken into account when the gospel is presented. Sharing the gospel in light of the hearer's motivational values enables the gospel to address the dominant values that will need to be transformed by the gospel. "Christianity will be perceived as relevant to the extent that it is contextualized to present the gospel message and deliver ministry programming in terms of an individual's salient [prominent] values."

The Motivescape™ segmentation measures motivations based upon the desires that people have that flow out of specific values. "Motivational values" are those values that are created "because the object wanted or needed by the motive has inherent value because of the wanting." People are motivated to realize a desired end result. This end result is what they seek because they place value upon it. Thus values have come to be defined as a belief that a specific behavior (called an instrumental value) or an end-state of existence (called a terminal value) is most desirable or preferred. The Motivescape™ segmentation identifies people that are motivated by specific motivational values for which they greatly desire. These motivational values are "terminal values" that become guiding principles in life - they are the "end-goals" that are sought.

Studies of human values have been an ongoing research project for several decades. In the early 1970s Rokeach developed the classic work that measured 18 instrumental values (preferred patterns of behavior) and 18 terminal values (preferred end states or goals). Kahle and others at the University of Michigan Survey Research Center developed the List of Values (LOV) that reduced the 36 values of Rokeach to just 9 major motivational values: self-respect, security, warm relationships with others, sense of accomplishment, self-fulfillment, being well-respected, sense of belonging, fun and enjoyment in life, and excitement. The Motivescape™ segmentation adapts the LOV by adding back three additional values: creativity, self-sufficiency, and self-satisfaction to expand the list to 12 major motivational values. Community research on these 12 motivational values is updated regularly by the Simmons Market Research Bureau, the oldest and most respected authority on the behavior of the American consumer. Congregational research is conducted by IICM to correlate the motivational values of active church member with that of the community.

Each of the 12 motivational values are included in the Missional Culturescape and may be mapped across 9 layers of geography.  Reports may be generated both for frequency counts and as a missional probe at all 9 layers of geography.  More detailed information about the Motivescape™ may be found in the Missional Knowledgebase at www.missionalcyclopedia.org.

Being Motivations Sustainers (survival orientation) Dignifiers (respect orientation) Belongers (acceptance orientation) Approvers (recognition orientation) Doing Motivations         Independents (individualistic orientation) Emulators (fulfillment orientation) Achievers (success orientation) Creatives (innovation orientation) Experiencing Motivations     Sensationals (gratification orientation) Enjoyers (pleasure orientation) Experientials (participation orientation) Connectors (relationship orientation)