key points of this talk

needs

goals

motivations

self-determination theory & well-self-determination theory & well-beingbeing

personal background

to provide a specialist service both for the treatment of psychological difficulties and for helping people enhance their health and wellbeing.

to try to provide and encourage a whole person approach that uses what is best in conventional, complementary & self-help methods of health care

work through a small charity whose aims are:

for more details & a downloadable copy of this talk go to the ‘goodknowledge’ section of www.goodmedicine.org.uk click on ‘lectures

and leaflets’ and look under ‘wellbeing and health’ in ‘past lectures’

self-determination theory (SDT)

SDT is a general theory of motivation and personality that has evolved over the past three decades

SDT suggests humans, like plants or other animals, intrinsically ‘strive’ for need satisfaction & flourishing

social contexts can support or thwart this need striving with major effects for health & well-being

looking at well-being through the lens of self-determination theory

www.psych.rochester.edu/SDT

Deci, E. L. and R. M. Ryan (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination

in human behavior. New York, Plenum.Deci, E. L. and R. M. Ryan (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits:

Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry 11: 227-268.

key points of this talk

needs

goals

motivations

self-determination theory & well-self-determination theory & well-beingbeing

three key psychological needs

a basic need (whether physiological or psychological) is defined as an energizing state that, if satisfied, promotes health & well-being but, if not satisfied, contributes to pathology and ill-being

how these three basic psychological needs – autonomy, comp-etence & relatedness – can best be satisfied will vary with individual strengths, life stage, social context, and culture

personal goals that lead to satisfaction of these three basic needs will promote well-being, but individuals – due to broad societal conditioning and personal life history – may well strive for goals that do not satisfy these needs or enhance their well-being

Ryan, R. M. and E. L. Deci (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being.

Am Psychol 55(1): 68-78.

three key psychological needs

autonomy – personal choice not compulsion by outside forces

competence – capable & effective not incompetent & inefficient

relatedness – regular emotional intimacy & shared activities not isolation & loneliness

Reis, H. T., K. M. Sheldon, et al. (2000). Daily well-being: the role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 26(4): 419-435.

Sheldon, K. M., A. J. Elliot, et al. (2001). What is satisfying about satisfying events? Testing 10 candidate psychological needs. J Pers Soc Psychol 80(2):

325-39.

autonomyautonomy

competencecompetence

relatednessrelatedness

what makes for a good day?

people whose needs for competence, autonomy & relatedness are more satisfied experience greater well-being than those whose needs are less satisfied

at the same time, for each individual, days when these basic needs are more satisfied are experienced as better than days when the needs are less satisfied

it’s not just the total amount of need satisfaction, it’s also the balance that optimises well-being

Sheldon, K. M., R. Ryan, et al. (1996). What makes for a good day? Competence and autonomy in the day and in the person. Pers Soc Psychol

Bull 22(12): 1270-1279.Sheldon, K. M. and C. P. Niemiec (2006). It's not just the amount that counts: balanced need satisfaction also affects well-being. J Pers Soc

Psychol 91(2): 331-41.

autonomyautonomy

competencecompetence

relatednessrelatedness

key points of this talk

needs

goals

motivations

self-determination theory & well-self-determination theory & well-beingbeing

many research studies on goals

Kasser, T. and R. M. Ryan (1993). A dark side of the American dream: correlates of financial success as a central life aspiration. J Pers Soc Psychol 65(2): 410-22.

Kasser, T. and R. M. Ryan (1996). Further examining the American dream: differential correlates of intrinsic and extrinsic goals. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 22(3): 280-287.

Lapierre, S., L. Bouffard, et al. (1997). Personal goals and subjective well-being in later life. Int J Aging Hum Dev 45(4): 287-303.

Schmuck, P., T. Kasser, et al. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic goals: their structure and relationship to well-being in German and U.S. college students. Social Indicators Research 50(2): 225-241.

Kasser, T. and A. Ahuvia (2002). Materialistic values and well-being in business students. European Journal of Social Psychology 32(1): 137-146.

Larson

now for some active involvement

your personal choice of goals

emotional intimacy having many close & caring relationships

financial success having a job that pays very well and having a lot of nice possessions

fame/popularity being known &/or admired by many people

community contribution helping to make the world a better place

attractive image looking good & appearing attractive to others

personal growth being fulfilled & having a very meaningful life

which are your three top which are your three top choices?choices?

intrinsic goalsintrinsic goals prioritising intimacy, community & personal growth, tend to satisfy these three key psychological needs directly.

extrinsic goalsextrinsic goals prioritising money, status & image focus on achieving external rewards & praise – typically at the expense of key need satisfaction.

key needs – relatedness, autonomy & key needs – relatedness, autonomy & competencecompetence

prioritising extrinsic goals is associated with prioritising extrinsic goals is associated with increased anxiety, depression, narcissism & increased anxiety, depression, narcissism &

physical symptoms and decreased vitality, self-physical symptoms and decreased vitality, self-actualization & well-beingactualization & well-being

goals & their health implications

goals & wellbeing

goals are defined here as “projects you think about, plan for,

carry out and sometimes (though

not always) complete or succeed at”

Sheldon, K. M. et al. (2004). "The inde-pendent effects of goal contents & motives on well-being: it's both

what you pursue & why you pursue it."

Pers Soc Psychol Bull 30(4): 475-86

encourage

wellbeing

unrelated to

wellbeing

“intrinsic” goals

“extrinsic” goals

e.g. emotional intimacy having many close & caring

relationships; personal growth being fulfilled and

having a very meaningful life; community contribution helping to make the world a

better place

e.g. financial success having a job that pays very well and having a lot of nice

possessions; fame/popularity being

known and/or admired by many people; attractive image looking good and

appearing attractive to others

social context affects goal choice

Kasser, T., et al. (2002). Early family experiences and adult values: A 26-year, prospective longitudinal study. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 28(6): 826-835.

Feeney, B. C. (2004). A secure base: responsive support of goal strivings and exploration in adult intimate relationships. J Pers Soc Psychol 87(5): 631-48.

Sheldon, K. M. and L. S. Krieger (2004). Does legal education have under-mining effects on law students? Evaluating changes in motivation, values, and well-being. Behav Sci Law 22(2): 261-86.

Vansteenkiste, M., J. Simons, et al. (2004). Motivating learning, performance, and persistence: the synergistic effects of intrinsic goal contents & autonomy-supportive contexts. J Pers Soc Psychol 87(2): 246-60.

Sheldon, K. M. (2005). Positive value change during college: normative trends and individual differences. J Res Personal 39(2): 209-223.

Grouzet, F. M., T. Kasser, et al. (2005). The structure of goal contents across 15 cultures. J Pers Soc Psychol 89(5): 800-16.

social context affects choice!

laboratory peer

pressure

Larson

goal focus affects daily well-being

King, L. A., J. H. Richards, et al. (1998). Daily goals, life goals, and worst fears: means, ends, and subjective well-being. J Personality 66: 713-744.

Sheldon, K. M. & A. J. Elliot (1999). Goal striving, need satisfaction, & longitud-inal well-being: the self-concordance model. J Pers Soc Psychol 76(3): 482-97.

Hoppmann, C. A. & P. L. Klumb (2006). Daily goal pursuits predict cortisol secretion and mood states in employed parents with preschool children. Psychosom Med 68(6): 887-94.

encouraging a focus on personally encouraging a focus on personally relevant intrinsic goals increases day to relevant intrinsic goals increases day to

day well-being day well-being

intrinsic goal focus is promoted by intrinsic goal focus is promoted by providing explanation, a supportive providing explanation, a supportive

relationship & choice relationship & choice

key points of this talk

needs

goals

motivations

self-determination theory & well-self-determination theory & well-beingbeing

1) you strive for this goal because somebody else wants you to, or the situation seems to compel it.

2) you strive for this goal because you would feel ashamed, guilty, or anxious if you didn’t.

3) you strive for this goal because you really feel that it’s an important goal to have.

4) you strive for this goal because of the enjoyment or stimulation which the goal provides you.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 not at all completelybecause of this reason because of this

reason

Sheldon, K. M. & A. J. Elliot (1999). Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: the self-concordance model. J Pers Soc Psychol

76(3): 482-97.

reasons for personal goal choice

motivations & wellbeing“controlled

” motivations

“autonomous”

motivationsidentified motivations =

because you really identify with this goal

intrinsic motivations = because of the enjoyment or stimulation this goal provides

you

extrinsic motivations = because someone else wants you to or

because the situation seems to compel it

introjected motivations = because you would feel ashamed,

guilty or anxious if you did not have this goal encourag

ewellbein

g

unrelated to

wellbeingfor more details on Ken Sheldon’s work

see:http://web.missouri.edu/~psycks

with no one looking, Konor would secretly sprinkle on a few sprouts

autonomous

motivationencourage

swell-being

Gary Larson

goals, motivations & wellbeing“intrinsic”

goals

“extrinsic” goals

“controlled”

motivations

“autonomous”

motivations

wellbeing

wellbeing

wellbeing

wellbeing

SDT relevant for many areas

well-beingwell-being (34 papers): happiness, well-being, needs, motivation, goals, life course changes.

educationeducation (79 papers): for both school & university. health carehealth care (36 papers & books): smoking, alcohol

& drug problems, diet, exercise, diabetes (freely down-loadable treatment questionnaires also provided).

other other (many papers!): 15 further subject areas that include friendship, parenting, couples, psychotherapy, sport, organizations, and political/ecological action.

www.psych.rochester.edu/SDT

SDT highly relevant for education & health SDT highly relevant for education & health carecare

self-determination & education

“it is nothing short of a miracle that modern

methods of instruction have not yet entirely

strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry”

Albert Einstein

motivation especially important

“comparisons between people whose motivation is authentic (literally, self-

authored or endorsed) and those who are merely externally controlled ... typically

reveal that the former ... have more interest, excitement, & confidence which

in turn is manifest both as enhanced performance, persistence, & creativity,

and as heightened vitality, self-esteem, & general well-being”Ryan, R. M. and E. L. Deci (2000). Self-determination theory and the

facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. Am Psychol 55(1): 68-78

a spectrum of motivationsbehaviour

motivation

regulatorystyle

perceived causality

regulatoryprocesses

non self-determined self-determined

impersonal external to internal internal

non-intentional,non-valuing,incompetent,lack of control

interest,enjoyment,

inherentsatisfaction

ranging from external compliance to internal synthesis

intrinsicregulation

intrinsic motivationamotivation

nonregulation

extrinsic motivation

external tointegrated

shifting from external to integratedbehaviour

motivation

regulatorystyle

perceived causality

regulatoryprocesses

non self-determined self-determined

externalsomewhatexternal

internal

compliance,external

rewards &punishments

congruence,awareness,synthesiswith self

integratedregulation

extrinsic motivation

externalregulation

identifiedregulation

introjectedregulation

somewhatinternal

self-control,ego involvement,internal rewards& punishments

personalimportance,consciousvaluing

crucial external to integrated shift

good rationale & clear achievement pathway provided (autonomy & competence)

within a supportive relationship that allows expression of feelings (relatedness)

genuine choice is offered (autonomy)

social context encourages this shift social context encourages this shift when ...when ...

key points of this talk

needs

goals

motivations

self-determination theory & well-self-determination theory & well-beingbeing

self-determination theory (SDT)

SDT is a general theory of motivation and personality that has evolved over the past three decades

SDT suggests humans, like plants or other animals, intrinsically ‘strive’ for need satisfaction & flourishing

social contexts can support or thwart this need striving with major effects for health & well-being

looking at well-being through the lens of self-determination theory

www.psych.rochester.edu/SDT

Deci, E. L. and R. M. Ryan (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination

in human behavior. New York, Plenum.Deci, E. L. and R. M. Ryan (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits:

Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry 11: 227-268.