motivesper

Motivesper is a neologistic term used in discussions of motivation and behavior to describe a proposed metric that gauges the extent to which an agent's actions are driven by explicit motives relative to other influences. The word blends "motive" with the suffix "per," implying a rate or ratio per unit of behavior or time. The concept has appeared in speculative and theoretical discussions rather than as a certified measurement in psychology or AI research.

Concept and calculation: In its simplest form, motivesper can be defined as the ratio of actions that are directly motivated by stated goals to total actions, over a defined period. Researchers propose methods to approximate this ratio by coding behavior, using self-report indicators, or inferring motive strength from task choice, persistence, and progress toward goals, while considering cognitive costs and external constraints.

Applications: The metric is discussed as a tool to compare motivation alignment across individuals or systems, to assess how effectively incentives promote goal-directed action, and to inform discussions in AI alignment and organizational ethics. It is also considered as a lens for evaluating how policy or design choices influence the motives behind observed behavior.

Limitations: Measurement validity is controversial; motives are internal and multi-faceted. Behavior can be goal-consistent without strong motive, and results depend on context, culture, and task design. There is also little consensus on standard procedures for estimating motivesper, which can limit comparability across studies.

See also: motivation; behavioral metrics; AI alignment; ethics; organizational behavior.