expressedmotive

Expressedmotive is a term used in psychology, literary analysis, and discussions of motivation to denote the explicit motive a person or character communicates or claims. It contrasts with latent or inferred motives, which are not stated openly and must be deduced from behavior, context, or third-party reports. In contemporary usage, expressedmotive can encompass stated goals, rationalizations, or self-presentational claims provided by the actor, narrator, or observer.

In psychology and organizational settings, expressedmotive is often assessed through interviews, surveys, or public statements. Researchers examine how individuals articulate their aims, how this aligns with actions, and how social desirability or strategic disclosure can shape the expressedmotive. Discrepancies between expressedmotive and actual motive or outcome are common and can inform studies of deception, motivation, and decision making.

In literary and media analysis, expressedmotive refers to the motive the author or character asserts within the narrative. Analysts compare expressed motives with implied motives derived from actions, consequences, and internal states to interpret character development and thematic content.

Limitations: relying on expressedmotive carries biases from self-reporting, social desirability, and changing statements over time. The concept is largely heuristic and lacks a single standardized measurement, leading to variation in definition and application across disciplines. See also latent motive, self-presentation, and explicit motive.