L4: Self Determination Theory

Self Determination Theory

3 basic needs that are required for psychological wellbeing and long term motivation

Autonomy

our own actions, volition, choice

Competence

need to feel mastery over one’s experience and behavior, effectiveness capability

Relatedness

the need to have a sense of belonging and connectedness to others

Autonomous Motivation

when a person engages in a behavior because it is consistent with their intrinsic goals and comes from within, more likely to initiate and persist with the behavior without need for external reinforcement

Controlled Motivation

when a person engaged in motivation for extrinsically referenced reasons, will persist until external motivator disappears then will discontinue

Amotivation

i don’t know why i exercise, no motivation

External

i exercise because i will be punished if i dont, controlled by reward or threat

Interojected

i exercise because i will feel guilty if i dont, acts to avoid negative feelings, takes in values but doesnt idenitfy

Identified

i exercise because it helps keep me fit, motivation by appreciation of valued outcomes

Integrated

i am an exerciser and this is what i do, behavior is volitional to achieve personal goals

Intrinsic Motivation

i exercise because its fun, participation for fun/enjoyment of activity

Vallerand’s Hierarchical Model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

assumes that motivation is differntiated across 3 levels of generality, autonomous and controlled motivation differ according to contextual and situational levels

Global Factors

overall motivation, likes football cause it’s fun, enjoys engineering

Contextual Factors

in context motivation, goes to tutorial simply because it’s required but doesn’t like it

Situational Factors

smaller situational motivation, substitute teacher in tutorial so students given more autonomy

Key Points

humans are motivationally complex, a person’s motivation will change based on context, top down and bottom up effect where global motivation will affect contextual motivation and contextual motivation will affect situational motivation and vice verse

Autonomy - Autonomy Support

provide choice and rational, provide non-controlling supportive feedvack, allow opportunities to take initiative, avoid controlling statement and guilt inducing criticisms, prevent ego involvement from taking place

Competence - Structure

set optimal challlenges, provide timely informative and non-judgmental feedback

Relatedness - Involvement

acknowledge the person’s feelings and perspectives, get to know the participants, recognize their interests/disinterests

Limitation

research methodology - limited constructs tested, is autonomy always the goal?