Psychological Agency: Evidence from the Urban Fringe of Bamako

Abstract

There is a large deficit in the theorisation of psychological elements of agency and empowerment in the development literature. Instead, empowerment is generally defined as a favourable opportunity structure, as choice, or as the distribution of power. Further still, an examination of the psychological literature reveals a lack of empirical research related to non-Western contexts and development policy. In view of this, I present the results of an empirical study using inductive mixed methods to examine the central factors contributing to initiatives people undertake to improve personal and collective well-being.Informants articulated that the psychological concepts of dusu (internal motivation) and ka da I yèrè la (self-efficacy) were most important to their purposeful agency.

The World Bank on Mind, Behaviour and Society

“…Agency undoubtedly is an important element of social change; however, encouraging the notion of free will and stimulating higher expectations are problematic if oppressive structures are not identified and addressed. Moreover, positive thinking and higher aspirations are not sufficient to reduce poverty and inequality, and can actively divert attention from the structural dimension underlying poverty and hardship (Klein, ; Standing, ).…”

Happiness and Human Development: A Capability Perspective

“…On another front, reviewing some psychological approaches, Alkire (2005) first acknowledges the applicability of the self-determination theory (a theory of motivation, including the work by Vansteenkiste et al (2008)) to the human development framework in terms of its multidimensional analysis of agency and its conceptualisation of autonomy. Following this route, Klein (2014) makes a partial application of the self-determination theory for an empirical study to demonstrate the significance of psychological elements for empowerment. Nonetheless, neither addresses the issue of the basic human needs required for the assessment of the type and degree of motivations by means of the selfdetermination theory.…”

Understanding Youth: Towards a Psychology of Youth Poverty and Development in Sub-Saharan African Cities

“…The idea of 'agency' has always been at the core of development studies, but the foundations of or ingredients that strengthen or enhance people's agency has predominantly been viewed along a spectrum of assets: human, financial, social, physical and natural capital. Less encapsulated in definitions of these assets have been the psychosocial dimensions of agency (Klein 2014). Literature on well-being has incorporated these dimensions into analyses more effectively than studies of poverty.…”

“…The cognitive and social construction of a coherent sense of self is the ultimate personal developmental goal (Damon and Gregory 1997;Harter 1999). This determines decision-making processes and actions, motivations and behaviours, and happiness and satisfaction given the importance of acting according with one's intrinsic values or, 'from the heart' (Klein 2014). While these values are shaped throughout young people's 'socialisation' by a variety of actors (including parents and guardians, extended family and kinship networks, the broader community and the education system, amongst others), as they reach 'youth-hood', young people have internalised them and 'own' their beliefs, values and moral standards, attributing them less to the sources that they originally derived from (Harter 1999).…”

“…While these values are shaped throughout young people's 'socialisation' by a variety of actors (including parents and guardians, extended family and kinship networks, the broader community and the education system, amongst others), as they reach 'youth-hood', young people have internalised them and 'own' their beliefs, values and moral standards, attributing them less to the sources that they originally derived from (Harter 1999). This makes the concept of autonomy central to motivating agency, giving individuals the ability to choose their ends and goals and act in accordance with their values and interests (Klein 2014). Autonomy therefore helps the emergence of other attributes necessary for supporting and promoting agency, including self-confidence, power and self-efficacy (Narayan et al 2009).…”