Higher Autonomous Motivation Research Articles

Motivations to engage in collective action: A latent profile analysis of refugee supporters.

What motivates people to participate in collective action? Some actions such as symbolic or online actions are often critiqued as performative allyship, motivated by personal gain rather than genuine concern for the cause. We aim to adjudicate this argument by examining the quality of motivations for acting, drawing on the insights of self-determination theory and the social identity approach. Using latent profile analysis, we examined whether there are different types of supporters of refugees based on their underlying motives. In Study 1, we surveyed supporters of Syrian refugees from six nations (N = 936) and measured autonomous and controlled motivation, pro-refugee identification and collective action. In Study 2 (N = 1994), we surveyed supporters of Ukrainian refugees in Romania, Hungary and the UK. We found 4-5 profiles in each sample and consistently found that supporters with high autonomous motivation take more action than disengaged or ambivalent supporters (low/neutral on all motives). However, contrary to the tenets of self-determination theory, those high in both autonomous and controlled motives were the most engaged. We conclude that the most committed supporters are those with multiple motives, but further research is needed on the role of controlled motivation.

Having fun and thriving: The impact of fun human resource practices on employees' autonomous motivation and thriving at work

AbstractResearch interest in thriving at work has burgeoned over the past decades, but little is known about how human resource (HR) practices affect employees' thriving at work. Drawing upon self‐determination theory and person‐organization fit theory, we developed and tested a moderated mediation model to explain how fun HR practices influence employees' thriving at work. The results of two studies, a scenario experiment (N = 164) and a time‐lagged survey (N = 253), supported our hypotheses. Specifically, the findings revealed that fun HR practices relates positively to employees' thriving at work. Autonomous motivation partially mediates the abovementioned relationship. Furthermore, fun HR practices translate into higher autonomous motivation and subsequent thriving at work for employees with higher preference for workplace fun. Our research contributes to the existing literature by identifying fun HR practices as an antecedent of thriving at work and revealing the psychological mechanisms through which fun HR practices affect employees' thriving at work. The practical implications, limitations, and future research avenues are also discussed.

Work connectivity behavior after-hours spills over to cyberloafing: the roles of motivation and workaholism

PurposeThe authors investigated how and when work connectivity behavior after-hours (WCBA) spilled over to cyberloafing, considering ego depletion as a mediator and motivations and workaholism as moderators. This paper aims to discuss the aforementioned objective.Design/methodology/approachIn Study 1, 380 employees participated in a scenario experiment with a 2 × 2 between-subjects design. Studies 2 and 3 involved 483 and 406 employees, respectively in two two-wave surveys.FindingsWCBA was indirectly linked to cyberloafing via ego depletion. However, when WCBA was driven by high autonomous and low controlled motivation, it exerted less influence on ego depletion, thus weakening the mediating effect of ego depletion. Moreover, the association between WCBA and ego depletion was not significant among employees accustomed to excessive work. The indirect effect of ego depletion also operated contingently on the level of excessive work.Originality/valueThe findings shed light on the spillover effects of WCBA, suggesting that WCBA may lead to cyberloafing by depleting resources. However, the influence of WCBA on ego depletion is concealed when employees engage in WCBA autonomously or are habituated to excessive work.

Study of motivation and engagement for chemical laboratory safety training with VR serious game

Safety training is a necessity and inherent part of any safety management system in high-risk industries, such as chemical industry. Often, training programs use conventional methods, such as classroom or video lectures. However, with these methods, trainees are passive and can quickly lose their attention, thus making the safety training ineffective. Alternatively, a virtual reality (VR) serious game can be used as a hands-on training tool to motivate and engage trainees. Relevant situations are simulated in a virtual environment where trainees can learn safety concepts and awareness without causing real harm to themselves or others. The current study investigates person-centred variables: motivation and engagement. We measured how safety motivation and engagement changed with employees of a chemical company when playing the VR LaboSafe Game after a traditional video lecture. Results show that employees have a high autonomous motivation to follow safety training, particularly in terms of identified regulation. Playing the VR serious game significantly increased intrinsic motivation and engagement of the trainees. They believe that they are more active, can keep their attention better and enjoy the experience of relevant situations in a virtual environment. However, complicated usability and the unfamiliarity to VR can affect their autonomous motivation for safety training. Older employees (above 50) have more difficulties with using VR headsets than younger employees (under 30). Data suggest to combine conventional methods with VR as complementary tool and provide more frequent and smaller sessions, gradually introducing VR technology to beginners.

Critical consumers: How do young women with high autonomous motivation for exercise navigate fitness social media?

Fitness content on social media (FSM) is now ubiquitous across society. Despite its potential to improve the low levels of physical activity (PA) often seen in young women, FSM can have negative effects on mental wellbeing (particularly around heightening body concerns) and be a source of misinformation. Yet for some young women, engaging with FSM appears not to be detrimental to their wellbeing. We purposively recruited nine young women who were frequent users of FSM (M age = 25 years) and demonstrated a high autonomous motivation for exercise (which suggested a preserved mental wellbeing in the context of exercise). Participants were interviewed about their experiences of using FSM, including how they felt it impacted their exercise motivation and behaviour, as well as how to engage with FSM in a “healthy” way. Data were thematically analysed to generate three overarching themes: 1) FSM can motivate and demotivate me, 2) FSM is a harmful environment and 3) to protect yourself you need to be a critical FSM consumer. Whilst these individuals recognised the dangers of FSM, they appeared to be well-equipped to protect themselves from its maladaptive influences and made practical suggestions for navigating the FSM environment in a “healthy” way.

The nutritional literacy of breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and its association with treatment self-regulation and perceived social support.

Chemotherapy can lead to malnutrition and post-menopausal recurrence among breast cancer (BC) patients, who need to achieve nutritional literacy (NL) to cope. The objective of this study was to explore the NL level in Chinese BC patients receiving chemotherapy and its predictors including both internal motivation and the external environment. A total of 326 BC female patients from three hospitals were enrolled. Participants completed the Nutrition Literacy Measurement Scale for Chinese Adult (NLMS-CA), Chinese version from the Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire (TSRQ-C), and the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS) to assess NL, treatment self-regulation, and social support. Stepwise multivariate linear regression was used to identify the main factors of NL. The total NL score was 151.31 ± 16.85, the "knowledge understanding" dimension had the lowest score. In the final regression model, patients with higher scores for "autonomous motivation" and "introjected regulation" on the TSRQ-C and "family support" and "other support" on the PSSS, higher educational levels and average monthly household incomes and endocrine therapy had higher NL levels (adjusted R2 = 66.7%, p < 0.05). The overall NL score among Chinese BC patients receiving chemotherapy was satisfactory, but the knowledge understanding score was low. Higher autonomous motivation, introjected regulation, family support and other support scores, higher educational and household income levels, and endocrine therapy were predictors of NL in female patients. Interventions should be designed according to the specific performances and predictors of NL in female patients.

Young children’s motivations and social cognitions toward swimming: Testing direct and moderation effects of sport competence in two large-scale studies

ABSTRACT Direct and moderation effects of swimming competence using an integrated model of self-determination theory (SDT) and theory of planned behaviour (TPB) were examined in two large-scale studies among young children. Specifically, we examined whether swimming competence had direct and moderation effects on social psychological variables of perceived need support, autonomous motivation, TPB social cognition constructs, and intention. In Study 1, using a cross-sectional survey of 4959 primary school children, swimming competence formed significant positive relationships with all model variables (β =.061 to.330, p < .05) except intention (β = -.009, p > .05), and its moderation effect on model parameters were small in size or not statistically significant. In Study 2, using a pre-post-test quasi-experiment among 1,609 primary school children, improvement of swimming competence was associated with change-scores in all model variables (β =.046 to.230, p < .05) except subjective norm (β =.049, p > .05). Swimming competence did not significantly moderate the parameter estimates of the integrated model (p > .05) at the change-score level. Findings indicate that swimming competence is associated with higher autonomous motivation; TPB social cognitions of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control; and intention. However, swimming competence did not moderate the parameter estimates of the integrated model.

Examining the associations between mothers' motivation to regulate their own eating behaviors, food parenting practices and perceptions of their child's food responsiveness

Based on the Self-Determination Theory, this study examined: 1) how mothers' autonomous and controlled motivation to regulate their own eating behaviors relate to their food parenting practices, and 2) whether and how child food responsiveness (i.e., reactivity and attraction to food) interact with mothers' motivation to predict maternal food parenting practices. Participants were 296 French Canadian mothers of at least one child aged between 2 and 8 years old. Results of partial correlation analyses (controlling for demographics and controlled motivation) showed that maternal autonomous motivation to regulate their own eating behaviors was positively related to autonomy-promoting (i.e., child involvement) and structure-based (i.e., modeling, creating a healthy environment, monitoring) food parenting practices. In contrast, controlling for demographics and autonomous motivation, maternal controlled motivation was positively associated with food-related practices based on coercive control (i.e., the use of food to regulate the child's emotions, the use of food as a reward, pressure to eat, restriction for weight reasons, and restriction for health reasons). Furthermore, the child's food responsiveness was found to interact with mothers' motivation to regulate their own eating behaviors in the prediction of maternal food parenting practices such that mothers with high autonomous motivation or low controlled motivation were found to react with more structure-based (i.e., creating a healthy environment) and autonomy-based (i.e., child involvement) practices, as well as less controlling practices (i.e., the use of food to regulate the child's emotions), to a child who is highly responsive to food. In conclusion, findings suggest that guiding mothers toward developing a more autonomous and less controlled motivation to regulate their own eating behaviors might help them adopt more autonomy-promoting and structure-based and less controlling feeding practices, especially with children who are highly responsive to food.

Automaticity mediates the association between action planning and physical activity, especially when autonomous motivation is high

Objectives Action planning promotes physical activity (PA). However, mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood, as are the variables that moderate this link remain unexplored. To fill these gaps, we investigated whether automaticity mediated the association between action planning and PA, and whether autonomous motivation moderated this mediation. Methods and Measures PA was measured by accelerometry over seven days among a sample of 124 adults. Action planning, automaticity, and autonomous motivation were assessed by questionnaires. Results Structural equation models revealed that automaticity mediated the association between action planning and PA (total effect, β = .29, p < .001) – action planning was associated with automaticity (a path, β = .47, p < .001), which in turn related to PA (b path, β = .33, p = .003). Autonomous motivation moderated the a path (β = .16, p = .035) – action planning was more strongly associated with automaticity when autonomous motivation was high (+1 standard-deviation [SD]) (unstandardized b = 0.77, p < .001) versus low (-1 SD) (b = 0.35, p = .023). Conclusion These findings not only support that action planning favors an automatic behavioral regulation, but also highlight that a high autonomous motivation toward PA may reinforce this mechanism.

Who is motivated to accept a booster and annual dose? A dimensional and person-centered approach.

The transmissibility of new COVID-19 variants and decreasing efficacy of vaccines led authorities to recommend a booster and even an annual dose. However, people's willingness to accept new doses varied considerably. Using two independent longitudinal samples of 4596 (Mean age = 53.6) and 514 (Mean age = 55.9) vaccinated participants, we examined how people's (lack of) vaccination motivation for their first dose was associated with their intention to get a booster (Sample 1) and an annual dose (Sample 2) several months later (Aim 1). We also aimed to capture the impact of the motivational heterogeneity on these intentions by capitalizing on participants' different motivational profiles collected at baseline (Aim 2). Across both samples, autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and distrust-based amotivation were uniquely related to, respectively, higher, lower, and even lower booster and annual dose intentions. Further, a two-step clustering procedure revealed five profiles, with the profiles characterized by higher autonomous motivation (i.e. Good Quality and High Quantity profiles) reporting the highest vaccination intentions and the profile characterized by the highest number of obstacles (i.e. Global Amotivated profile) yielding the lowest vaccination intentions. These results stress the critical need to support citizens' volitional endorsement of vaccination to harvest long-term benefits with respect to COVID-19.

The combined effect of motivational interviewing and wearable fitness trackers on motivation and physical activity in inactive adults: A randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Despite overwhelming adoption of wearable fitness trackers (WFT), it is unclear if they affect physical activity (PA) engagement or PA motivation. We hypothesized that combining a WFT with an effective intervention, motivational interviewing (MI), would positively influence both motivation and PA. A 12-week randomized controlled trial was conducted in 40 adults who did not meet PA recommendations. The four conditions were: a PA education (Educational control, n = 10), a WFT (WFT, n = 10), bi-weekly MI sessions (MI, n = 10), or both interventions (WFT+, n = 10). Motivation and PA were measured through an online survey and actigraphy pre- and post-intervention. Both the WFT+ and MI groups improved autonomous forms and decreased controlled forms of motivation. They also had higher basic psychological needs scores when compared to the Education group post-intervention. We detected no changes in PA. High autonomous motivation at baseline predicted higher post-intervention PA in the WFT+ group but predicted lower post-intervention PA in the WFT group. Results suggests that MI alone or with a WFT can improve basic psychological needs and autonomous forms of motivation for PA, but not PA participation. Individual differences in motivation at baseline may moderate the effect of a WFT on PA. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT490014).

A brief self-persuasion intervention to strengthen health-promoting dietary intentions through autonomous motivation

Given the prevalence in obesity and other diet-related chronic diseases among adults in America, methods targeting dietary behavior change are essential. Interventions that aim to increase individuals' autonomous (i.e., self-driven) motivation to engage in health-promoting behaviors are highly effective, however, such interventions are difficult to scale. Thus, the current study tested the efficacy of a brief self-persuasion intervention to change participants' dietary goal content and increase intentions to make healthy dietary decisions, through autonomous motivation. The study also investigated the assumption that appearance-based goals decrease health-promoting behavior. The intervention was administered online to female college students (N = 300). Results showed that inspiring health-based and appearance-based goal content led to higher intentions compared to gaining others’ approval-based goals, indirectly through higher autonomous motivation. Appearance-based goal content also led to higher intentions compared to a control condition. Results imply that there is promise in using a brief, easily administrable, self-persuasion intervention to increase health-promoting dietary behaviors. Additionally, results reflect that bolstering appearance-based goal content can promote health-promoting behaviors, however, more research is necessary to delineate the parameters of the finding.

Autonomous and controlled motivation fit on college students' physical fitness:based on the polynomial regression and response surface analysis

Based on the self-determination theory, to explore the relationship between motivation quality and college students&apos; physical fitness and the mediating role of physical activities from the perspective of the coexistence of autonomous motivation(AM) and controlled motivation(CM). From October to November 2019, a total of 682 freshmen and sophomores(252 males and 430 females) were recruited with cluster-sampling method from 4 colleges and universities in Wuhu City, filled with questionnaires of Perceived Locus of Causality scale and Godin&apos;s leisure-time physical activity questionnaire, and tested physical fitness according to China National Fitness Test Program after 6 weeks. The data were analyzed by polynomial regression combined with response surface analysis and mediation effect test. Physical fitness presented a "convex" curve increase with the consistency of AM and CM(a1=1.547, a2=1.254, P&lt;0.01). The physical fitness of high AM-high CM combination was higher than that of low AM-low CM combination(Z_(hat)=3.111, 95% CI 0.446-5.896). Under the condition of AM and CM differentiation, physical fitness was higher when the discrepancy was such that AM was higher than CM(a3=5.280, P&lt;0.01; a4=0.232, P&gt;0.05). AM positively predicted physical activity in a nonlinear form(β_( AM)=1.605, β_(AM)~2=1.602, P&lt;0.01). Physical activity showed a "convex" change with the consistency of AM-CM(a1=0.811, P &gt; 0.05; a2=1.618, P &lt;0.01), but there was no significant difference in the level of physical activity between high and low AM-CM combination(Z_(hat)=1.407, 95% CI-0.084-3.391). Physical activity was higher in high AM-low CM combination than that in high CM-low AM combination(Z_(hat)=5.008, 95% CI 2.348-7.113). Matching of AM and CM influenced college students&apos; physical fitness directly(β=0.453, P&lt;0.01) and indirectly through physical activity(β=0.184, 95% CI 0.145-0.240). The coexistence of AM and CM effects physical fitness through their consistency and inconsistency matching.

Peer-mentoring and doctoral student retention: a longitudinal investigation

ABSTRACT Many doctoral students do not finish their studies. Social support has been shown to lower the likelihood of student withdrawal. I propose peer-mentoring as one of the practices that makes a significant difference in doctoral student attrition. In this longitudinal study, I investigated the influence of peer-mentoring on students’ motivation and retention. Data were collected four times from 35 participants (a total of 140 surveys) in a Canadian university, where senior doctoral candidates mentored first year doctoral students. Data analysis indicates that students who received high levels of peer-mentoring experienced both steady and high autonomous motivation for their studies and low intention to leave. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Associations Between Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Motivation Underpinning Daily Activity Participation Among Community-Dwelling Survivors of Stroke: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

ObjectiveGrounded in the self-determination theory (SDT), this study aimed to examine the real-time associations between basic psychological need satisfaction and motivation underpinning daily activity participation among survivors of stroke. DesignRepeated-measures observational study involving 7 days of ambulatory monitoring; participants completed ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys via smartphones 8 times daily. Multilevel models were used to analyze EMA data for concurrent (same survey) and lagged (next survey) associations. SettingGeneral community. ParticipantsForty community-dwelling survivors of stroke (N=40). InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresEMA measures of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) and motivation (autonomous motivation, controlled motivation). ResultsIn concurrent analyses, increased autonomy (B=0.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.26; P<.001), competence (B=0.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.19; P=.021), and relatedness (B=0.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.06-0.13; P<.001) were momentarily associated with higher autonomous motivation. Conversely, increased autonomy (B=−0.19; 95% confidence interval, −0.27 to −0.10; P<.001) and competence (B=−0.09; 95% confidence interval, −0.17 to −0.01; P=.020) were momentarily associated with lower controlled motivation. Contrary to SDT, increased relatedness was momentarily associated with higher controlled motivation (B=0.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.14; P<.001). In lagged analyses, no momentary associations were detected between basic psychological needs and motivation (Ps>.05). ConclusionsFindings suggest that basic psychological need satisfaction is momentarily associated with motivation for daily activity participation. Additional research is warranted to examine the associations of different orientations of relatedness with autonomous and controlled motivation. Supporting basic psychological needs may foster autonomous motivation of survivors of stroke to enhance daily activity participation after stroke.

Self-Determination Theory and Preventive Medication Adherence: Motivational Considerations to Support Historically Marginalized Adolescents With Asthma

Using self-determination theory, we explored relationships between autonomous motivation (AM) and perceived competence (PC) with previously validated measures of motivation and adolescent-reported asthma medication adherence. Data were from adolescents (n=260) enrolled in the School-Based Asthma Care for Teens study and taking preventive medication at baseline. Eligible adolescents (aged 12-16 years) had physician-diagnosed persistent asthma or poor control. Adolescents taking daily preventive medicine reported higher AM and PC for adherence, whereas adolescents likely to miss ≥1 dose in the next 2 weeks had lower AM and PC. Adolescents taking medicines as prescribed, with plans to continue, and those feeling able to follow provider care plans, had higher AM and PC. Findings remained significant in regressions with control variables. Many factors interfere with adolescent medication-taking. Clinicians' efforts to build AM and PC with patients and caregivers may be key to promoting adherence in this group.

중학생의 또래관계에서의 목표와 이유의 잠재프로파일 탐색 및 사회적 적응의 차이

Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore latent profiles of socials achievement goal and Peer relationship self-determination motivation and to investigate the differences in aggression, social anxiety, peer relationship skills among profile groups. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted on 302 students (164 males and 137 females) in the 1st and 2nd grades of middle school, and data were collected to analyze the latent profile. Results Applying latent profile analysis with 302 middle school students, three distinct profiles were identified; ‘high-motivation high-goals profile’, ‘high-autonomous motivation and high-mastery achievement goal profile’, ‘low-motivation and high status-focused performance approach achievement goal profile’. Conclusions The results of this study are summarized as follows: high-autonomous motivation and high-mastery achievement goal profile was the most positive than other groups. However, low-motivation and high status-focused performance approach achievement goal profile was most negative results. The implications for future research were discussed.

Physical Activity, Healthy Behavior and Its Motivational Correlates: Exploring the Spillover Effect through Stages of Change.

On the basis of the spillover or transfer effect and the transtheoretical model of change, this study assessed the association between amount of physical activity, healthy and unhealthy weight control behaviors, and motivational types, as well as their variability across stages of change. A total of 1219 randomly selected Mexican adults from 18 to 65 years old, representative of the city of Monterrey (México), participated in the study. Correlation analyses, differences by gender, and multivariate analyses of variance, controlling for age, were performed. We found that in the maintenance stage, there is higher frequency of physical activity more healthy weight control behaviors, as well as higher autonomous motivation. In the contemplation stage, there is less physical activity, a higher frequency of unhealthy weight control behaviors, higher controlled motivation, and amotivation. Relationships were found between the healthy behaviors studied and the interaction dynamics observed across the stages of change, highlighting the key role of the contemplation and maintenance stages in weight control change. Physical activity as a targeted intervention objective could be a gateway to healthier weight control behavior, as well as higher autonomous motivation.

The Mediating Role of Stigma, Internalized Shame, and Autonomous Motivation in the Relationship Between Depression, Anxiety, and Psychological Help-Seeking Attitudes in Multiple Sclerosis

BackgroundDepression and anxiety are commonly experienced in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) yet little is known about factors associated with psychological help-seeking attitudes in those with MS.MethodThe current study investigated whether increased stigma related to chronic illness, internalized shame, and autonomous motivation mediated the relationship between depressive and anxiety symptoms and psychological help-seeking attitudes in individuals with MS. Two hundred fifty-four participants with MS completed an online questionnaire assessing depressive and anxiety symptoms, stigma related to chronic illness, internalized shame, autonomous motivation, and psychological help-seeking attitudes.ResultsStigma related to chronic illness, internalized shame, and autonomous motivation mediated the relationships between increased depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms and psychological help-seeking attitudes. The study also found that higher levels of chronic illness–related stigma and internalized shame were associated with more negative psychological help-seeking attitudes and higher autonomous motivation was associated with more positive psychological help-seeking attitudes. There were no direct effects of depressive or anxiety symptoms on psychological help-seeking attitudes.ConclusionThe significant mediating roles of stigma-related chronic illness, internalized shame, and autonomous motivation indicate that these factors may be useful to include in future depression and anxiety intervention studies targeting MS populations.

Exploring the Relationship between Self-Control and Healthy Eating: Do Self-Description as a Healthy Eater and Attached Importance to Healthy Eating Matter?

As suggested by previous research, individuals with high self-control report greater autonomous motivation, and the Self-Determination Theory of autonomous motivation implies that exercising self-control should be less necessary, i.e., require lower levels for those having a self-schema in the relevant domain. Based on this, the present study explored whether the healthy eater self-schema status decreases (moderates) the effect of the trait self-control on the healthy eating behavior. In a cross-sectional design, a total of 149 people participated in this research. Results confirmed the role of the healthy eater self-schema status as a moderator. These findings highlighted the effect of the self-description as a healthy eater and one’s perceived importance of healthy eating in the exercising of trait self-control towards healthy food consumption. This study could also be helpful in tailoring future self-control interventions for individuals who have difficulties in exercising self-control toward healthy food consumption.