Feeling Free and Having an Authentic Inner Compass as Important Aspects of the Need for Autonomy in Emerging Adults’ Interactions With Their Mothers

Based on past theorizing and research, we posited that there are two kinds of specific experiences that contribute to the satisfaction of the general need for autonomy in emerging adults, as reflected in volitional, self-endorsed, actions. These experiences are: (1) feeling free, and (2) having a valid authentic inner compass (AIC). In the first study testing this hypothesis, college students in Israel (n = 163, mean age = 21.33), and in China (n = 72, mean age = 23.67) completed measures assessing experiences of freedom and having a valid AIC during contacts with mothers, extent of volitional contacts with mothers, and vitality during contacts with mothers. Confirmatory factor analyses and invariance analysis supported the validity of the measures, and their equivalence across cultures. In the Israeli sample, students also completed a measure assessing the extent to which the sense of having a valid AIC during contacts with one’s mother is based on intrinsic aspirations and goals. As expected, across cultures, participants distinguished between experiences of (a) having a valid AIC, and (b) feeling free. The findings also suggest that experiences of freedom and of having a valid AIC during contacts with mothers are associated with extent of volitional contacts with mother, and subsequent vitality during these contacts. Also as expected, experiencing a valid AIC during contacts with mother was associated with volitional contacts with her and subsequent vitality - only when the AIC was based on intrinsic aspirations. The results suggest that in assessing people’s sense of AIC, it is important to consider the content of the aspirations and goals on which this sense is based. The findings are consistent with the view that feeling free, and having a valid AIC are two specific autonomy experiences which promote a more global experience of need autonomy satisfaction, as indicated by feelings of volitional and self-endorsed action.

Motivational Mechanisms Underlying Physicians’ Occupational Health: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective

Numerous studies have documented deteriorating occupational health among practicing physicians. This trend poses a serious risk not only for physicians but also for the many patients under their care. Past research finds that one protective factor involves the quality of physicians’ motivation. When physicians are more autonomously motivated, they tend to experience better occupational health. However, few studies have identified antecedent factors that support physicians’ autonomous work motivation. To identify and model potential root causes of physicians’ autonomous work motivation and occupational health, the current study assessed physicians’ intrinsic aspirations and need satisfaction at work. Hypotheses were tested in a sample of 2,116 U.S. practicing physicians. Structural equation modeling showed that physicians who endorsed intrinsic aspirations more strongly reported better occupational health, and that this association was mediated by physicians’ need satisfaction and autonomous work motivation. Implications for designing more effective individual- and system-level interventions to improve physician occupational health are discussed.

The Father in Youth Baseball: A Self-Determination Theory Approach

This study based on the self-determination theory aims to examine the relationship among the aspirations that fathers have about their children’s youth baseball practice, the children’s basic psychological needs (satisfaction and frustration), and their intentions to either continue or drop out of baseball practice in a sample of children from Hermosillo, Mexico. A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 533 fathers (M = 44.30, SD = 5.18) and 533 children (M = 13.09, SD = 1.68). The results showed that the intrinsic aspirations of fathers were positively correlated to the satisfaction of the children’s psychological needs, whereas the extrinsic aspirations of fathers were positively correlated with the frustration of the children’s psychological needs. Satisfaction of basic psychological needs was positively correlated with the intention to continue and negatively correlated with dropout; on the contrary, frustration of basic psychological needs was negatively correlated with the intention to continue and positively with dropout. In conclusion, the fathers’ pursuit of intrinsic aspirations for their children in the youth baseball context satisfies the children’s basic psychological needs, and in turn, their intention to continue practicing increases. Conversely, when a father pursues extrinsic aspirations for his son in youth baseball, the child will feel his basic psychological needs frustrated, and he will have a greater intention to drop out. Overall, this study extends the existing sport-scientific literature by confirming the impact of parents’ aspirations on their children’s basic psychological needs and intention to continue being baseball players.

Materialistic Orientation and Psyhological Well Being in Adolescents from 11th-12th Grade

The aim of the current study is to look for theoretically and empirically grounded proof for the correlation between aspirations – extrinsic and intrinsic- determining the motivation – and the psychological wellbeing of adolescents in 11th grade. Materialistic orientation is expressed in the preferences of extrinsic goals such as fame, wealth and image, while the intrinsic aspirations are related to preferences of aspirations for personal growth, personal relationships and community contribution. High level of psychological wellbeing is measured through the six elements from K. Ryff’s definition: self-acceptance, positive interaction with others, autonomy, managing of environment, meaning and personal growth. The research includes a group of 50 students in two Bulgarian high schools.

探討中學生抱負取向與職業生涯探索的關係

本文從自我決定理論 (Self Determination Theory) 的觀點出發，探討香港中學生的抱負取向（包括外在期望及內在期望）與職業生涯探索的關係。是次研究以問卷形式進行，從10間中學總共2,122名中一至中六的學生得到有效數據。結果顯示在控制了人口因素、成績及社會支持後，學生的抱負取向與職業生涯探索有顯著的關係。對比以上各項因素，發現學生的內在期望對職業生涯探索起較大的預測作用。最後，本文會探討結果在實踐及研究的應用。 Based on Self Determination Theory, this paper explores the relationship between different aspirations (intrinsic aspirations and extrinsic aspirations) and career exploration among Hong Kong secondary school students. The sample consisted of 2,122 secondary school students from 10 secondary schools. The results found that both intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations are significant predictors of career exploration after controlling for demographic, academic results and perceived social support variables. Among the predictors examined, intrinsic aspirations explained more variance of career exploration than others. Implications of the results for theory and practice were discussed.

Unconditional Positive Self-Regard, Intrinsic Aspirations, and Authenticity: Pathways to Psychological Well-Being

Unconditional positive self-regard (UPSR) is regarded by humanistic psychologists as an important determinant of well-being. However, until recently, it has received little empirical attention. The current study aims to examine the association between UPSR and several key constructs consistent with the ideas of well-being within contemporary humanistic and positive psychology. Study 1 is a confirmatory factor analysis of the UPSR scale. The significant best fit for the data was a related two-factor model. Study 2 used the two-factors of the UPSR scale to explore the association with intrinsic aspirations. The study showed positive self-regard was significantly positively correlated with the intrinsic aspirations-total scale and with each of the separate scores for intrinsic aspirations-importance and intrinsic aspirations-chance. Unconditionality of regard was significantly negatively correlated with intrinsic aspirations-importance but was not significantly correlated to either the intrinsic aspirations-total or intrinsic aspirations-chance scores. Study 3 considers the association between UPSR, intrinsic aspirations, and authenticity. Unconditionality of regard was significantly positively correlated with the authenticity scale score. Only intrinsic aspirations-chance scores showed a statistically significant and positive correlation with authenticity. The remaining correlations between intrinsic aspirations and authenticity were not statistically significant. Results call for further empirical attention to UPSR within humanistic and positive psychology research.

The Role of Relative Intrinsic Aspirations in Chinese Adolescents’ Prosocial Behaviors

We examined Chinese adolescents’ aspirations and explored the relationship between relative intrinsic aspirations (RIA) and prosocial behaviors and whether adolescents with different levels of RIA have different emphases on self- and other-oriented considerations during prosocial decision making. In Study 1, 236 participants were recruited and completed a questionnaire containing the Aspiration Index and Prosocial Tendencies Measure. The results show that RIA are positively associated with adolescents’ prosocial behaviors. In Study 2, 158 adolescents completed a questionnaire containing the Aspiration Index and measurements of prosocial decision making and considerations in prosocial decision making. To some extent, adolescents with a lower level of RIA have a greater emphasis on self-oriented considerations, whereas adolescents with a higher level of RIA have a greater emphasis on other-oriented considerations. In addition, both studies suggest that Chinese adolescents value intrinsic aspirations above extrinsic ones.

Gender And Life Satisfaction In The Czech Republic

Life satisfaction in its gender aspects opens up a new dimension in social research. This study starts with the research question of how life satisfaction and gender are associated with intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations. The questionnaire survey was used with 1821 respondents in the Czech Republic. The results show that it was in the 33-48 age range that the highest proportion of males, 59 per cent, expressed substantial life satisfaction, compared to the 18-32 age range for females (72 per cent). In addition, for males, a greater identification with life satisfaction is found for both intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations, whereas females represented this greater identification only in regard to intrinsic aspirations.