The mediating role of affect in the relationship between need satisfaction and autonomous motivation

The relationship between need satisfaction and motivation is well established within self-determination theory (SDT). However, less is known about the affective mechanism that underlies this relationship. In this paper we extend SDT by focusing on the exact role of affect in the need satisfaction-motivation relationship. To this end, we conducted a daily diary study (N = 72) and an experience sampling study (N = 37) in which we tested the mediating role of positive and negative affect in the relationship between satisfaction of the autonomy, competence, and relatedness need on one hand and autonomous motivation on the other hand. Moreover, alternative models were tested. The results of both studies demonstrated that affect did mediate the need satisfaction-intrinsic motivation relationship. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Publication year:2014

Keywords:need satisfaction, affect;, autonomous motivation, self-determination theory

Accessibility:Closed