Self-Determination Theory ─ Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness

Self-determination theory (SDT) provides a framework for understanding the factors that promote motivation and healthy psychological and behavioral functioning. In this authoritative work, the codevelopers of the theory comprehensively examine SDT's conceptual underpinnings (including its six mini-theories), empirical evidence base, and practical applications across the lifespan. The volume synthesizes a vast body of research on how supporting--or thwarting--people's basic needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy affects their development and well-being. Chapters cover implications for practice and policy in education, health care, psychotherapy, sport, and the workplace.

Richard M. Ryan, PhD, is Professor at the Institute for Positive Psychology and Education at Australian Catholic University and Research Professor in Psychology at the University of Rochester. A clinical psychologist, he is co-developer (with Edward L. Deci) of self-determination theory, and has published widely in the areas of human motivation, personality, and psychological well-being. A recipient of distinguished career awards from multiple societies, Dr. Ryan is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, the American Educational Research Association, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and is an Honorary Member of the German Psychological Society. He received the James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award from the Association for Psychological Science and a Leverhulme Trust Fellowship. A past Editor-in-Chief of Motivation and Emotion, he has been a visiting scientist at the National Institute of Education in Singapore; the University of Bath, United Kingdom; and the Max Planck Institute, Berlin.
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Edward L. Deci, PhD, is the Helen F. and Fred H. Gowen Professor in the Social Sciences at the University of Rochester, with secondary appointments at University College of Southeast Norway and Australian Catholic University. He is co-developer (with Richard M. Ryan) of self-determination theory, and has published widely on self-determination and human motivation. A recipient of distinguished career awards from multiple societies, Dr. Deci is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the American Psychological Association, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.? He was named Honorary President of the Canadian Psychological Association and is a recipient of the James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award from the Association for Psychological Science.
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