Individual Differences in Need for Uniqueness

Abstract

In the previous chapters, data have been presented to support the contention that people exhibit a need to manifest their uniqueness in various situations. Although the striving for uniqueness appears to be influenced by situational factors, it is also logical to speculate that different people evidence different degrees of uniqueness motivation in similar circumstances. That is, there are probably dispositional individual differences among people with regard to their uniqueness motivation. For example, one person may grow up strongly desiring to be unique, while another person may develop a low need for uniqueness. In this regard, the reader may imagine certain acquaintances who may exhibit a rather strong desire for uniqueness; conversely, other acquaintances may be rather low in their desire for uniqueness. And how do you, the reader, estimate your desire for uniqueness? Perhaps after reading the present chapter, which reports the development and validation of an individual differences measure of a need for uniqueness, the reader may begin to more specifically answer this latter question.