Session 3 - Henry A. Murray

Henry A. Murray (May 13, 1893 – June 23, 1988) was an American psychologist who taught for over 30 years at Harvard University. He was founder of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and developed a theory of personality based on "need" and "press". He also is developer of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) which is widely used by psychologists. The work of Lewin and Murray laid the foundations for classroom environment research.

More information on his background and professional career can be found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Murray

Needs-Press Model
Needs refer to personal needs; the tendency for an individual to move in the direction of his goals.
Press - refers to environmental press; the external situation that supports/hinders the realisation of the personal needs.

The Thematic Apperception Test is a widely used projective measure of personality. Historically, the Thematic Apperception Test or TAT has been amongst the most widely used, researched, and taught projective psychological tests. It taps a subject's unconscious to reveal repressed aspects of personality, motives and needs for achievement, power and intimacy, and problem-solving abilities.

Murray's Psychogenic Needs consist of 27 needs. Three of these, especially, have been the focus of study: the need for Power, Affiliation, and Achievement. Murray contended that environmental forces played a significant role in the exhibition of the psychogenic needs. He called the forces "press," referring to the pressure they put on us that forces us to act. He further argued for a difference between the real environmental forces, alpha press, and those that are merely perceived, beta press.

The Use of High-Inference Measures To Study Classroom Climates: A Review
This paper reviews the impact high-reference measures had on studying classroom climates. Early literature of classroom climates from the late twenties through the early sixties is reviewed. Also, pertinent classroom climate literature that incorporates specific high-inference measures has been reviewed.

Research using high-inference measures for investigating environmental phenomena began with the Activities Index. From the Activities Index, several “environmental indexes” were developed based on Murray’s Need-Press Model. These environmental indexes were self- administered questionnaires asking high school and college students about various dimensions existing within those institutions. The responses to the various dimensions were regarded as “student perceptions” of the climate or learning environment and were useful in predicting achievement and contributing to the understanding of educational processes.