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Related Concept Videos

Ryan and Deci's Self-Determination Theory01:17

Ryan and Deci's Self-Determination Theory

Self-Determination Theory (SDT), formulated by Richard Ryan and Edward Deci, explains that human motivation is driven by three fundamental psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. When these needs are met, individuals experience personal growth, intrinsic motivation, and overall well-being.
Autonomy is the need to feel in control of one's actions and decisions. For example, a student who chooses their research topic is likely to be more engaged and motivated than one who is...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal
06:45

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal

Published on: April 18, 2017

Autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and goal progress.

Richard Koestner1, Nancy Otis, Theodore A Powers

  • 1Psychology Department, McGill University, 1205 Dr. Penfield Avenue, Montreal, QC. Koestner@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca

Journal of Personality
|August 19, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Autonomous motivation, not controlled motivation, drives goal progress. Focusing on enhancing autonomous motivation and planning implementation strategies is key for achieving personal goals.

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Last Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal
06:45

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal

Published on: April 18, 2017

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12:55

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Motivation Science
  • Goal Pursuit

Background:

  • Self-concordance theory posits that goal alignment with personal values predicts goal attainment.
  • Recent research questions aggregating autonomous and controlled motivations into a single self-concordance index.
  • Understanding the distinct roles of motivation types is crucial for effective goal pursuit.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the differential relationships between autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and goal progress.
  • To determine the relative importance of autonomous versus controlled motivation in achieving personal goals.
  • To investigate the mediating role of implementation planning in the motivation-goal progress link.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted three empirical studies investigating motivation and goal progress.
  • Performed a meta-analysis to synthesize findings across studies.
  • Examined the role of implementation planning, distinguishing between approach and avoidance strategies.

Main Results:

  • Autonomous motivation was strongly and positively related to goal progress.
  • Controlled motivation showed no significant relationship with goal progress.
  • Implementation planning, particularly using approach strategies, mediated the link between autonomous motivation and goal progress.

Conclusions:

  • Autonomous motivation is a critical predictor of goal progress, while controlled motivation is not.
  • Developing autonomous motivation and creating implementation plans (especially approach-oriented) are vital for goal achievement.
  • Individuals should prioritize enhancing autonomous motivation over reducing controlled motivation for better goal attainment.