Self-determination theory as a fundamental theory of close relationships.

Abstract

Though relatively young, the field of relationships science has an impressive body of research devoted to understanding a range of relational processes including attachment, communality, intimacy, and interdependence. However, relatively little research has examined the motivational underpinnings of these processes. Self-determination theory (SDT) offers a broad perspective on the mechanisms through which relational processes are related to personal well-being and relational functioning and the circumstances under which seemingly positive relational processes particularly result in benefits to relationships and the individuals of which they are comprised. The purpose of this review is to summarise the existing research applying SDT to relational processes and to suggest future avenues for research that will extend both relationships science and SDT.Although the study of close relationships has been fundamental to the field of psychology since its inception, the development of a formalized relationships science has only emerged over the last 25 years (Fletcher, 2002;Kelley et al., 1983;Reis, Collins, & Berscheid, 2000). Within this literature are diverse theoretical frameworks examining such processes as attachment, intimacy, communality, and interdependence. Each of these literatures has a long and rich research tradition attesting to the importance of these processes for well-being and optimal relational functioning. However, in this macrocosm of relationships research, relatively little space has been dedicated to understanding the motivational underpinnings of these processes.One such perspective has characterised relationship motivation by independent tendencies toward approach (moving toward a rewarding or desired end-state) and avoidance (moving away from a punishing undesired end-state), as well as the goals toward the formation and maintenance of social ties manifest from these motives (e.g., Gable, 2006). A second growing literature examines motivation within relationships from the self-determination theory (SDT) perspective (La Guardia, 2007a), focusing on how relational partners either support or undermine the fulfilment of basic psychological needs and how motivational orientations derived from such need fulfilment are maintained or transformed as a function of experiences within relationships.In this paper we outline how the SDT perspective provides a valuable framework for understanding the motivational underpinnings of important relational processes, such as attachment, intimacy, communality, and interdependence, and further how this motivational structure helps to predict personal growth and development. Relationships research typically focuses on how individual personality factors (e.g., attachment style) and/or situational factors (e.g., partner responsiveness) affect how important relational processes unfold (e.g., conflict resolution, intimacy) and how these exchanges impact relational functioning (e.g., commitment, satisfaction). Importantly, the incremental value of the SDT perspective is th...

Impact of the Basic Psychological Needs in Subjective Happiness, Subjective Vitality and Physical Activity in an Elderly Portuguese Population

“…Some researchers have diversified BPN satisfaction in terms of behaviour variance, based on influences from an individual's personal relationships or integration contexts (La Guardia & Patrick, 2008), thus one's motivational function is ideally reached with one's overall satisfaction with all aspects of their life (Ryan & Deci, 2007). Deci and Ryan's (2000) investigation showed that the higher one's perception of BPN satisfaction, the more selfdetermined (more autonomous) is the behaviour, which is intimately related with well-being.…”

A self-determination theory perspective on mentoring relationships at work

“…We will discuss the ways that developmental partners fulfilled the three needs by distinguishing between several forms of developmental support. In SDT, autonomy support is obvious when need-supportive partners actively try to understand a person's interests, preferences, and perspectives (La Guardia & Patrick, 2008). Our analysis revealed that developers respond to protégés' initiatives and encourage protégés' exploration.…”

“…A smaller group of studies applied SDT to the field of close relationships. In this field, the application of the basic assumptions of SDT have resulted in two research lines (La Guardia & Patrick, 2008). Studies in the first research line examine how basic psychological needs are supported or undermined by relational partners.…”

“…In the next round of coding, both researchers looked for subcategories in the data while keeping an open discussion regarding the categorization of the comments. These subcategories were then compared with the need-supportive behaviors from the existing literature regarding SDT (e.g., La Guardia & Patrick, 2008;Stone et al, 2009). Additionally, the researchers searched for words such as self, own, want (autonomy), knowledge, experience, can (competence) together, both, and common (relatedness) in the transcripts.…”

“…Table 3.2 shows several ways that developers provide clear, consistent, and reasonable expectations, which support competence needs (La Guardia & Patrick, 2008).…”