Self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985): WACE Year 12 Psychology Unit 4
“Self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985): amotivation, extrinsic and intrinsic motivation; psychological needs for motivation (autonomy, competence, relatedness)”
Self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985) says the quality of motivation matters as well as the amount. It describes amotivation (no motivation to act), extrinsic motivation (acting for an outcome separate from the activity, such as a reward or to avoid punishment) and intrinsic motivation (acting because the activity is enjoyable or satisfying in itself). Intrinsic motivation and wellbeing are supported when three psychological needs are met: autonomy (feeling in control of your choices), competence (feeling capable) and relatedness (feeling connected to others).
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What this dot point is asking
Deci and Ryan are named theorists, so the syllabus expects the features of the theory, its strengths and limitations, and its application to a real-world context.
Amotivation, extrinsic and intrinsic motivation
| Type | Meaning | Example: learning a musical instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Amotivation | No motivation or intention to act; the person sees no value in it or feels unable to succeed | "Why bother practising? I'll never be good at it." |
| Extrinsic motivation | Acting to gain a separate outcome, such as a reward, approval or a grade, or to avoid punishment | Practising because a parent pays for each session, or to pass an exam |
| Intrinsic motivation | Acting because the activity itself is interesting, enjoyable or satisfying | Practising because playing is fun and absorbing |
Deci and Ryan saw these as a continuum from least to most self-determined. Extrinsic motivation can become more self-determined when a person values the outcome and sees it as their own choice, for example practising because they have decided music matters to them.
The three psychological needs
- Autonomy: feeling that your behaviour comes from your own choices and values, not from pressure or control.
- Competence: feeling capable and effective, able to meet challenges and improve.
- Relatedness: feeling connected to, cared for by and belonging with other people.
When the social environment (teachers, coaches, parents, workplaces) supports these needs, people are more intrinsically motivated, persist longer and have better wellbeing. When the needs are thwarted, for example by controlling rules, constant failure or isolation, motivation shifts towards extrinsic or amotivation.
Controlling external rewards for an activity someone already enjoys can reduce intrinsic motivation, because the reward makes the behaviour feel controlled, which undermines autonomy. This is one reason token economies can stop working once rewards are removed.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths.
- Supported by a large body of research across education, sport, health and work.
- Explains the quality of motivation, not just its amount.
- Practical: it gives clear strategies (support autonomy, build competence, foster relatedness) that can be applied by teachers, coaches, parents and managers.
Limitations.
- The three needs are broad and hard to measure directly; most research relies on self-report questionnaires.
- It can be difficult to classify real behaviour as purely intrinsic or extrinsic, because most behaviour has mixed motives.
- Some critics argue that the emphasis on autonomy reflects individualistic cultures; Deci and Ryan respond that autonomy means acting willingly, not acting alone.
A new café employee
Noah has just started work at a café and is losing interest.
- Autonomy: the manager lets Noah design a weekly special and choose his own way to organise the counter.
- Competence: the manager trains him step by step on the coffee machine and gives specific feedback as his skills improve.
- Relatedness: the team eats together after closing and the manager learns about Noah's interests.
As these needs are met, Noah is more likely to work because he finds it satisfying (intrinsic motivation) rather than only for his pay (extrinsic motivation), and less likely to become amotivated and quit.
Marker's note: application questions reward naming each need and giving a specific, realistic action for it.
- Treating all extrinsic motivation as bad
- Extrinsic motivation is useful and can become more self-determined when a person values the outcome.
- Confusing competence with autonomy
- Competence is feeling capable; autonomy is feeling in control of your choices.
- Leaving out amotivation
- It is one of the three types named in the syllabus.
- Getting the date wrong
- The syllabus reference is Deci and Ryan (1985).
Exam-style questions
Questions in the style of SCSA exam questions on this dot point, each with a worked answer. They are written by ExamExplained unless tagged "Past paper"; the year shows the paper a question is modelled on.
Original6 marksUsing self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985), explain how a coach could increase the intrinsic motivation of players in a junior basketball team.Show worked answer →
Two marks for each psychological need, named and applied.
- Autonomy
- Players need to feel their actions are their own choice. The coach could let players choose drills, set some of their own goals or have a say in team decisions, rather than controlling everything.
- Competence
- Players need to feel capable and effective. The coach could set challenges that are achievable with effort, give specific positive feedback and show players how they have improved.
- Relatedness
- Players need to feel connected and valued. The coach could build a supportive team culture, include every player and show genuine care for them.
Marker's note: link each strategy explicitly to intrinsic motivation, meaning playing because basketball is enjoyable and satisfying in itself.
Original6 marksDistinguish between amotivation, extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation, giving an example of each for a student completing homework.Show worked answer →
One mark for each definition and one mark for each matching example.
- Amotivation
- A lack of any motivation or intention to act, often because the person sees no value in the task or does not believe they can do it. Example: a student does not attempt the homework because they think it is pointless and they will fail anyway.
- Extrinsic motivation
- Doing something for a separable outcome such as a reward, grade or to avoid punishment. Example: completing homework to avoid a detention or to earn marks.
- Intrinsic motivation
- Doing something because it is interesting or enjoyable in itself. Example: completing extra psychology questions because the student finds memory research fascinating.
Practise this
Sources & how we know this
- Psychology ATAR course Year 12 syllabus (effective from 1 January 2024) — School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA)
- Psychology ATAR course: syllabus and support materials — SCSA
- Past ATAR course examinations — SCSA