“…Deci and Ryan ( 1985 ) provide a thorough description of each type of motivation in the continuum: the intrinsic one is the most internal one since it is activated by people's inner interests and enjoyment, and it is usually associated with the development of long-term habits; integrated motivation is the second most autonomy-guided type, since behaviors are driven by an individual's internal desire to be self-aware; a further step away from autonomy is represented by identified motivation, which describes behaviors as driven by personal values that an individual attributes to them, rather than enjoyment of carrying them out; introjected motivation is a more controlled type that is guided by an individual's need of self-control, which may depend on external sources, such as, for instance, fear of being judged by others; external motivation is the most externally controlled type in the continuum, since behaviors are regulated by fear of punishment for not carrying them out or by potential external rewards (for instance, receiving a gift for participating in an experiment); amotivation represents the final ending of the continuum, and it describes a person's complete lack of willingness to carry out a behavior (Center for Self-Determination Theory, 2022 ). Sport science is one among different scientific areas that have widely studied the interaction between motivation types and sources and behaviors, in particular in understanding what drives individuals to choose an active or sedentary lifestyle (Brandenbarg et al, 2023 ; Fang et al, 2023 ). This may have important consequences not only on the short term, but also on long-term health (Teixeira et al, 2012 ).…”