theoretical

The theoretical motivator icon.

Understanding Motivators: Theoretical

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Desire to learn for the sake of knowledge.

People who have a High Theoretical motivator love learning-oriented challenges—anything where they can learn a new skill. Some Theoreticals will want to go deep on a handful of subjects, while others will be all over the place with their learning. Many Theoreticals go on to Masters or Doctoral degrees.

If you are a High Theoretical, you should figure out the particular way you approach learning and look for challenges and opportunities that will push you to go deeper in your studies. When you look at future career options, make sure there are opportunities for continuous learning and intellectual growth. Seeking out a group of friends who are interested in similar topics will feel stimulating and exciting.

As a passionate Theoretical, you might run the risk of going so deep in an interest area that you lose interest in other topics. If that is the case, find a more specialized educational program or job where you can dedicate more time to go as deep as possible in your specialty.

Reflection Questions: High Theoretical

If Theoretical is one of your top two motivators, consider the questions below.  Remember, the higher your score is, the more you may feel passionate about that motivator. If you have a very high score, think about how it might stand out in your life and how you can use your passion in practical ways. The lower your score is, the more negative you probably feel about that motivator.

    • How do you like to learn?
    • What topics excite you?
    • What do you want to learn about that relates to your other top motivator?
    • Write about your favorite learning experience, project, or assignment.
    • Do you have opportunities to learn everything you are interested in?
    • Can you get involved in ground breaking research in your field?
    • Motivators can help you know what you want most out of your career and future plans. Do your future plans align with your top motivators?

For more information about the Indigo Assessment, visit https://www.indigoeducationcompany.com/indigo-assessment/

All the motivator icons.

Understanding Indigo: Motivators

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The Indigo Assessment measures 6 motivators as described in the work of Drs. Eduard Spranger and Gordon Allport in their study of human value, motivation and drive. Motivators describe why people do things: the internal desires that drive behavior. For example, the Aesthetic motivator indicates a desire for harmony and beauty, whereas the Theoretical motivator describes those who learn for the sake of knowledge. Motivators correlate with career choice, college major selection, and fulfilling activities.

The Indigo Assessment measures six motivators:

Aesthetic – Desire for form, harmony, balance, or beauty.
Individualistic – Desire for independence, visibility, rank, or power.
Social – Desire to help others or solve society’s problems.
Theoretical – Desire to learn for the sake of knowledge.
Traditional – Desire to live by a personal set of principles, standards, or beliefs.
Utilitarian – Desire for a return on investment of time, energy, or money.

What Motivates You?

The motivator list ranks your relative passion for each of the six motivators. Your motivators are ranked in order from the most important to the least important to you, with the 1st being the motivator with your highest score and the 6th being the motivator with your lowest score. Your motivator score for each motivator is given to the right of each bar.

Look at your ranking first (ranking is the order in which the motivators appear). Whether the numerical score is very high or around average, the top two motivators are the most important. If the third motivator is high, it is generally worth thinking about as well.

A sample motivator graph for a High Social motivator.

Notice where your score is close to 0 or 100. This reveals areas where your motivators may be outside the mainstream and could lead to passion or conflict.

The further a score rises above mainstream, the more you may feel passionate about that motivator. If you have passionate scores, think about how they might stand out in your life and how you can use your passion in practical ways.

The lower your score is, the more negative you probably feel about that motivator. Essentially, this is a “de-motivator”. What turns you “off” is just as valuable to notice as what gets you jazzed. It can sometimes explain why certain people are resistant to different activities or can’t get along with people who have an opposite motivator.

For more information about the Indigo Assessment, visit https://www.indigoeducationcompany.com/indigo-assessment/

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