Self-determination theory (SDT) is a metatheory of motivation developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan (2000; 2002). SDT examines why and how people develop motivation to engage in tasks. The foundational premise of SDT is that all people are driven toward growth and development. The amount of growth each person obtains is dependent upon contextual supports for their motivation.
Contextual supports, as defined by Deci and Ryan, are features within learners’ environments (e.g., effective teaching practices) that support three basic psychological needs: relatedness (e.g., a sense of belonging), competence (e.g., a sense of understanding), and autonomy (e.g., a sense of freedom to make decisions). It is the availability and quality of contextual supports for these psychological needs that determines people’s motivation to engage in and persist with challenging tasks.
In addition to identifying supports for people’s motivation, Ryan and Deci (2017) propose that people hold motivational orientations that range from extrinsic to intrinsic. If a person seeks external (extrinsic) rewards for engaging in a task they are considered to have a controlled motivational orientation. Conversely, if a person performs a behaviour solely for the joy of the activity itself, they would be considered as having an internal or autonomous orientation.
In between these two extremes are motivational orientations that are both external and internal. For example, someone with an introjected orientation may perform a behaviour to receive positive feedback from others that makes them feel valued. Likewise, a person who holds an identified orientation may perform tasks because they understand that a task is valuable and it will help them achieve a desired outcome. Finally, people are considered to have an integrative orientation if they perform a task which will help them achieve a desired outcome and is aligned with their personal values.
Motivation is viewed as occurring on a continuum from extrinsic to intrinsic, dependent upon both the individual and surrounding contexts.
View the video below which introduces the theory of self-determination:
References
Deci, E. L. & Ryan, R. M. (2000). Self- determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation. American Psychologist, 55, 68– 78.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (Eds.). (2002). Handbook of self-determination research. University of Rochester Press.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford.
