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Motivational Sources Inventory (MSI)3

Motivational Sources Inventory (MSI) Test

Understand what drives an employee at work in about 6 minutes. Use 30 targeted items to guide onboarding, coaching, and development with clear, actionable motivation insights.

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Questions: 306 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

23,020 views

2,097 completions

1,753 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

18/42

Goal Internalization (GI)

Measures how strongly a person pursues goals because they align with personally internalized values and beliefs.

Low internalization

Moderate internalization

High internalization

6 – 17: Low internalization | 18 – 34: Moderate internalization | 35 – 42: High internalization

A score of 18 falls in the Moderate internalization range, suggesting goals are partly guided by personal values but may still rely on external structure or expectations.

example score

32/42

Internal Self-Concept (ISC)

Measures how strongly a person is motivated by aligning work behavior with their own standards, values, and sense of competence.

Lower internal orientation

Balanced internal orientation

Strong internal orientation

6 – 23: Lower internal orientation | 24 – 38: Balanced internal orientation | 39 – 42: Strong internal orientation

A score of 32 falls in the Balanced internal orientation range, suggesting motivation is often supported by personal standards and self-esteem while still influenced by external factors.

example score

32/42

External Self-Concept (ESC)

Measures how strongly a person is motivated by social approval, recognition, and support from colleagues or a valued group.

Low

Moderate

High

6 – 20: Low | 21 – 32: Moderate | 33 – 42: High

A score of 32 indicates a moderate reliance on recognition and group acceptance, with social feedback being important but not the primary driver of motivation.

example score

18/42

Instrumental Motivation (IM)

Instrumental Motivation measures the extent to which a person is driven by external, tangible rewards such as pay, bonuses, and material benefits.

Low

Moderate

High

6 – 17: Low | 18 – 35: Moderate | 36 – 42: High

A score of 18 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting tangible rewards can support motivation but are not the primary driver.

example score

13/42

Intrinsic Processes (IP)

Measures the extent to which a person is motivated by enjoyment and engagement in the work process itself rather than external rewards or outcomes.

Low intrinsic focus

Moderate intrinsic focus

High intrinsic focus

6 – 16: Low intrinsic focus | 17 – 31: Moderate intrinsic focus | 32 – 42: High intrinsic focus

A score of 13 falls in the Low intrinsic focus range, suggesting the work process itself is a relatively weaker driver compared with more external or outcome-based motivators.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People Managers

41%OF USERS

Managers take it to understand what motivates each team member so they can tailor feedback, goals, and recognition.

HR and Talent Teams

34%OF USERS

HR professionals use it during hiring, onboarding, and development planning to align roles and rewards with individual drivers.

Employees Seeking Clarity

25%OF USERS

Employees take it to pinpoint what energizes them at work and communicate their needs for growth, stability, or recognition.

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.

Internalization of a Goal (IoaG)

Average

21.5

Normal range

15.3 — 27.7

min.

max.

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.

Internal Self-Concept (IS)

Average

25.3

Normal range

20.3 — 30.2

min.

max.

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.

External Self-Concept (ES)

Average

19.6

Normal range

14 — 25.2

min.

max.

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.

Instrumental Motivation (IM)

Average

Normal range

11.2 — 20.9

min.

max.

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.

Internal Processes (IP)

Average

32.4

Normal range

26.4 — 38.5

min.

max.

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

You will be presented with a series of statements describing a person’s attitude toward work. Please indicate the extent to which each statement reflects your perspective. There are no right or wrong answers; try not to spend too much time considering your response.

- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Hard to say
- Somewhat agree
- Agree
- Completely agree
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Not sure
- Somewhat agree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Not sure
- Somewhat agree
- Agree
- Strongly agree

These are 3 of the 30 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

Motivational Sources Inventory (MSI) Test - Symptoms and Signs

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work motivation

This measure is designed to clarify patterns of work-related motivation in organizational settings. The Motivational Sources Inventory (MSI) provides a brief, structured self-report format for identifying motivational drivers that may influence engagement and performance.

The questionnaire contains 30 items and typically takes about 6 minutes to complete. Results are intended to support applied decision-making (e.g., onboarding, coaching, and development planning) by organizing responses into interpretable motivational themes. Findings from the Motivational Sources Inventory (MSI) should be considered in conjunction with other relevant information (e.g., role demands, context, and supervisor observations) rather than used as a stand-alone basis for high-stakes decisions.

Author: Edward L. Deci, Richard M. Ryan

Literature: Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Plenum Press. 1985.; Barbuto, J. E., & Scholl, R. W. Motivation sources inventory: Development and validation of new scales to measure an integrative taxonomy of motivation. Psychological Reports. 1998.