Introduction
We are going to take a deeper look at motivation and how it drives our behaviour based on the Self-Determination Theory. We’ll be focusing on the quality and not necessarily the quantity of our motivations. We’ll work through this framework using an example of Tom, a 53-year-old man with hypertension, who is looking to strengthen his motivation to exercise.
The Self-Determination Theory suggests that motivation lies on a continuum ranging from amotivation to intrinsic motivation.
Amotivation
Amotivation is when you have no motivation whatsoever to engage in a certain behaviour. For Tom, this was him for most of his adult life. He had no desire to exercise and would not even consider it.
Extrinsic Motivation
Next on the continuum, we have extrinsic motivation. This is when a behaviour is generated by some form of external reward. There are four subtypes of extrinsic motivation that range from being externally controlled to more self-determined.
External Regulation
Right next to amotivation, we have external regulation where a behaviour is performed to obtain an external reward or to avoid punishment. An example of this would be Tom beginning to exercise because his doctor instructed him to for his health.
Introjected Regulation
Next, we have introjected regulation where we engage in a behaviour to protect our self-esteem, to avoid negative emotions, or to get approval from others. In other words, our ego is involved. An example of this would be if Tom’s motivation to exercise was cosmetic. He wants to lose weight and improve his appearance for his self-esteem and social acceptance.
Identified Regulation
The next two types of extrinsic motivation move further along the continuum towards more autonomous and internalized forms of regulation. Identified regulation is when we engage in a behaviour because we have identified it as important to our goals. We don’t necessarily find enjoyment in the behaviour itself but this is a more stable form of motivation than the previous ones mentioned. An example of this would be if Tom was exercising for the health benefits because he values his health.
Integrated Regulation
Integrated regulation is when we engage in a behaviour because it is aligned with our identity, values, and other goals. Again, we don’t necessarily find enjoyment in the behaviour itself but an example of this would be if Tom was exercising because he feels as though it is consistent with other important aspects of his life such as living longer to enjoy his time with his family.
Intrinsic Motivation
Last on the continuum is intrinsic motivation, where engagement in a behaviour is driven by enjoyment in the task itself. If you are intrinsically motivated to exercise, you are freely choosing to participate because it contributes to your well-being and you find it fun, challenging, and satisfying. An example of this is would be if Tom was motivated to exercise by the enjoyment of working out itself.
With the example of Tom, we can see how our motivations can shift and become more internalized over time. Tom initiated exercise because he was encouraged to by his doctor, an external influence, who is encouraging him to avoid the adverse effects of his declining health. Once Tom initiated his exercise program, he started to notice changes in his appearance which boosted his confidence and improved his self-esteem. The result is that Tom’s motivation to exercise was reinforced and he has moved from external to introjected regulation. Next, Tom has set some health and performance-related goals with his trainer. He wants to lower his blood pressure and improve his performance for his next fitness reassessment. Now Tom has moved towards more identified and integrated regulation. Finally, Tom has been exercising for more than six months consistently and he LOVES how it makes him feel. He gets excited to come into the gym and genuinely finds enjoyment in his training sessions. This is now an intrinsically motivated behaviour that is more stable, lasting and effective in promoting behaviour change for Tom.
Take a second to reflect on the motivations behind a behaviour change that you may be struggling with. It may not be possible to find true enjoyment or intrinsic motivation in everything that we do and that’s okay. It is very common when initiating a change to have some form of extrinsic motivation drive and reinforce the behaviour. The goal over time is to move away from reliance on external motivators and to move towards more autonomous and internalized forms of regulation. The more internalized your motivation is, the more sustainable your effort and persistence will be in maintaining the behaviour change. But how can we make a behaviour more satisfying if it isn’t inherently so? How do we support autonomous forms of motivation? Check out the next video for more on this.
Amanda Morch
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