Self-Determination and Meaningful Work: Exploring Socioeconomic Constraints

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Meaningful work is crucial for employee well-being and organizational success.
• Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the Psychology of Working Framework offer insights into work motivation.
• Understanding the interplay of social factors and motivation is key to fostering meaningful work.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test a structural model examining the predictors of meaningful work.
• To investigate the roles of social class and work volition in motivation.
• To explore how motivation variables (SDT) mediate the relationship between social factors and meaningful work.

Main Methods:

• A diverse sample of working adults participated in the study.
• Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed model.
• Key variables included social class, work volition, SDT motivation variables (internal regulation, external regulation, amotivation), and meaningful work.

Main Results:

• Work volition positively predicted internal regulation and negatively predicted amotivation.
• Social class positively predicted external regulation and amotivation.
• Internal regulation positively predicted meaningful work, while external regulation and amotivation negatively predicted it.

Conclusions:

• Internal regulation is a significant driver of meaningful work.
• Social class and work volition indirectly influence meaningful work through their effects on motivation.
• Interventions aimed at enhancing internal regulation may promote meaningful work across diverse populations.