John William Atkinson

John William Atkinson (December 31, 1923 – October 27, 2003), also known as Jack Atkinson, was an American psychologist who pioneered the scientific study of human motivation, achievement and behavior. He was a World War II veteran, teacher, scholar, and long term member of the University of Michigan community.

Atkinson was a leader in establishing motivation as a distinct field of study in psychology research. His belief that scientific progress came from conceptual breakthroughs fueled his formulation and reformulation of a theory of motivation. He was one of the first in psychology to incorporate rigorous mathematical models in his theories and to use computer simulations of these models for experimentation. He also recognized the importance of measurement in science, maintaining a career-long interest in the refinement of measures of motivation by means of content analysis of imaginative thought using, for example, the Thematic Apperception Test which he developed jointly with David C. McClelland. The scoring system developed by McClelland and Atkinson measures an individual's score for each of the needs of achievement, affiliation and power. This score can be used to suggest the types of jobs for which the person might be well suited.

In 1979, he received the American Psychological Association's highest award, the Gold Medal for Distinguished Scientific Contributions.