Autonomous motivation and support flourishes for individuals higher in collaborative personality factors: Agreeableness, assisted autonomy striving, and secure attachment.

Abstract

Individuals who strive autonomously for their goals, and who perceive autonomy supportive environments are more successful during goal pursuit. What dispositional factors predict autonomy flourishing during goal pursuit? Four longitudinal studies were conducted over an 8-month academic year, and university students (Ntotal =1,544) completed surveys on motivation, support, and personality. Structural equation models were created using Mplus software to test whether collaborative personality factors were related to growth in autonomous motivation and autonomy support. All three distinct collaborative personality factors, trait Agreeableness, assisted autonomy striving, and secure parental attachment, were related to increases in autonomous motivation over the academic year. Conscientiousness, assisted autonomy, and secure attachment were related to increases in perceived autonomy support. A higher order latent collaborative traits factor, composed of Agreeableness, assisted autonomy, and secure attachment was found to be related to increased autonomous motivation and support over the academic year and resulted in increased goal progress. These results suggest that individuals higher in collaborative personality factors experience growth in personal autonomy during goal pursuit. Future research is needed to determine how to promote collaboration in goal pursuit to further help individuals successfully strive for their goals.