Self-Determination Theory and Its Unique Contributions to the Big Theories of Motivation

• In Event: Part 1 – Recent Advancement in Sociocultural Influences on Motivation and Learning: Big Theories Revisited

Abstract

Purpose: The three-fold purpose of this presentation is to (1) outline self-determination theory (SDT), (2) view sociocultural influences on students’ motivation through the lens of SDT, and (3) identify four unique contributions SDT makes to the big theories of motivation.

Theoretical framework: SDT is a macro-theory of motivation that seeks to explain how sociocultural influences facilitate or undermine human flourishing. The theory is built on three assumptions - namely, students are naturally active and engaged because they possess inherent assets such as intrinsic motivation and psychological needs, an organismic approach to motivation, and a person-environment dialectic in which student agency is just as important a factor in students’ motivation and engagement as are sociocultural forces. The six mini-theories of SDT are cognitive evaluation theory, organismic integration theory, causality orientations theory, basic needs theory, goal contents theory, and relationships motivation theory.

Modes of inquiry and results: In-depth understanding of the literature suggests self-determination theory recognizes that sociocultural events (e.g., rewards, praise, goals, feedback) and cultural expectations (e.g., norms, values, priorities, obligations) affect students’ motivation. But the theory emphasizes that the explanatory mechanism through which these sociocultural influences affect students’ motivation is an internalization process in which students vary in the degree to which they are (or are not) open and ready to accept these social recommendations and cultural practices. Equally important, SDT gives emphasis to the role of student agency to affect change in the sociocultural environment. The result is a student-teacher dialectic in which students and teachers sometimes join forces and get in synch with one another to move toward high-quality motivations, motivating styles, and relationships but other times are in conflict with one another and move apart toward low-quality motivations, motivating styles, and relationships. To provide an SDT lens on some of schooling’s most commonly-occurring sociocultural influences, we provide SDT-based recommendations for how teachers can effectively provide students with learning activities, expectations, goals and values, and regulatory styles.

Scholarly significance: We identify four unique contributions SDT makes to the big theories of motivation in education: (1) SDT uniquely emphasizes the importance of autonomy and autonomy support; (2) SDT uniquely identifies the essential elements that define a high-quality relationship, and researchers have developed formal intervention programs to help teachers develop and implement high-quality relationships with their students; (3) SDT uniquely reminds educators of schooling’s twin mission to develop happy, productive students; and (4) SDT uniquely recommends that teachers provide support, rather than influence.

Authors

• Johnmarshall Reeve, Korea University

• Richard M. Ryan, Australian Catholic University

• Edward L Deci, University of Rochester