Motivation Toward the Environment Scale (MTES) Test

People who want to understand the personal reasons behind their environmental choices may find the Motivation Toward the Environment Scale (MTES) Test useful for structured reflection. This environmental motivation assessment distinguishes pressure, guilt, personally accepted or internalized motivation, enjoyment, and low motivation with perceived lack of control, helping readers consider which patterns are most prominent.

What This Assessment Explores

This pro-environmental motivation questionnaire separates six result patterns:

• Amotivation (1-7) indicates low motivation, alienation, and lack of control; Low amotivation 1-2.9; Moderate amotivation 3-5; High amotivation 5.1-7.
• Externally Regulated (1-7) indicates approval or punishment pressure; Low external drive 1-2; Moderate external drive 3-5; High external drive 6-7.
• Introjected Motivation (1-7) indicates guilt, shame, or self-esteem pressure; Low internal pressure 1-2.9; Moderate internal pressure 3-4.9; High internal pressure 5-7.
• Identified Regulation (1-7) indicates personally accepted goals; Low 1-2.9; Moderate 3-5; High 5.1-7.
• Integrated (1-7) indicates environmental values in identity; Low integration 1-3; Moderate integration 3.1-5; High integration 5.1-7.
• Intrinsic Motivation (1-7) indicates interest and enjoyment; Low intrinsic 1-2; Moderate intrinsic 3-5; High intrinsic 6-7.

Methodology and Scientific Basis

Each item presents a first-person reason or statement and uses a seven-point scale from an untrue response to a true response. The statements group around external demands, self-conscious emotions, accepted values, identity, enjoyment, and low perceived control.

The questionnaire reports separate scores for each motivational dimension, so this environmental behavior motivation scale distinguishes patterns rather than producing one overall sustainability score. Higher values show stronger endorsement of each pattern; displayed bands describe levels without specifying how many points each answer contributes.

The MTES (Pelletier et al., 1998) is a published instrument developed within self-determination theory to distinguish less autonomous from more autonomous environmental motives. The questionnaire is conceptually consistent with that instrument, not an adaptation of it, and Villacorta, Koestner, and Lekes (2003) provided further validation of the published scale. The cited studies do not establish these particular displayed bands as population norms; separate documentation would be needed to confirm that status.

Self-report requires context: current circumstances, social approval concerns, self-awareness, and beliefs about personal effectiveness can influence responses. Use the result to compare stated motives with lived behavior, not as a standalone conclusion.