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Achievement Motivation Test (MATS)3

Achievement Motivation Test (MATS)

Understand whether you’re driven more by striving for success or avoiding failure in about 6 minutes. Get a clear, actionable snapshot to guide coaching, hiring, and personal growth.

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Questions: 326 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

18,749 views

1,712 completions

1,384 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

89/224

Achievement Motivation (AM)

Measures whether a person’s motivation is more oriented toward achieving success or toward avoiding failure.

Avoidance-dominant

Mixed/Moderate

Success-dominant

32 – 85: Avoidance-dominant | 86 – 172: Mixed/Moderate | 173 – 224: Success-dominant

A score of 89 falls in the Mixed/Moderate range, suggesting a relatively balanced orientation with a slight lean toward striving for success rather than primarily avoiding failure.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Career-driven professionals

41%OF USERS

They want to understand whether they’re pushed more by ambition and achievement or held back by fear of making mistakes at work.

Students and exam takers

34%OF USERS

They use it to see if their effort comes from striving to succeed or from anxiety about failing tests, grades, or admissions.

Managers and HR specialists

25%OF USERS

They take it to spot what motivates different people on a team and tailor goals, feedback, and roles accordingly.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Achievement Motivation Scale (AMS)

Average

102.3

Normal range

67.8 — 136.7

min.

max.

224

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

Read each test statement and indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with it. Do not spend time thinking about your response; select the answer that comes to mind first.

- Completely disagree
- Disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Neutral
- Somewhat agree
- Agree
- Completely agree
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Neutral
- Somewhat agree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Neutral
- Somewhat agree
- Agree
- Strongly agree

These are 3 of the 32 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

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WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Achievement Motivation Test (MATS) - Symptoms and Signs

achieving success

motivation

This brief self-report measure is designed to characterize achievement-related motivational orientation. The Achievement Motivation Test (MATS) focuses on the relative predominance of striving for success versus concern about failure, supporting clinical or consultative formulation around goal-directed behavior.

The instrument consists of 32 items and typically requires about 6 minutes to complete. Responses are used to describe an individual’s motivational tendencies in achievement contexts and may inform discussion of performance approach versus avoidance patterns, including in applied and research settings.

Interpretation of the Achievement Motivation Test (MATS) should be integrated with relevant history, context, and other assessment data rather than used in isolation.

Author: David C. McClelland, John W. Atkinson

Literature: Anastasi, A., & Urbina, S. Psychological testing. Prentice Hall. 1997.; Elliot, A. J., & McGregor, H. A. A 2×2 achievement goal framework. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 2001.