In Search of Parsimony: Needs Frustration as the Flip Side of Needs Satisfaction

• In Event: Poster Session 17
  In Poster Session: Motivation in Education SIG Poster Session 2

Abstract

Are need satisfaction and need frustration two distinct paths that are associated, respectively, to positive and negative educational outcomes? Through two studies we provide evidence that need frustration could be simply the flip side of no need satisfaction. A meta-analysis (Study 1) showed that need satisfaction and need frustration are negatively related to each other and they yield inverse relations to educational correlates. In Study 2 with 4,000 adolescent students, we found through CFA and regression analysis little evidence that considering need frustration distinct from need satisfaction explains additional variance of outcomes such as life satisfaction and depressive feelings. These findings underscore the need for theory parsimony in educational research.

Authors

• Athanasios Mouratidis, TED University

• Aikaterini Michou, Bilkent University

• Melike Sayil, TED University

• Aysenur Alp, Middle East Technical University

• Aylin Kocak, Hacettepe University

• Burcu Cuvas, TED Universtity

• Sule Selcuk, Hacettepe University