Autonomy and intrinsic motivation

2025-05-01T14:08:04+00:00

I came across this blog - Intrinsic Motivation: A deep dive. It is a deep-dive into SDT theory and what motivates us intrinsically. Few points from the blog

• Autonomy and competence are the first and the second. Relatedness is the third.
• Relatedness is all about how connected we feel to those around us.

From Who Makes the Choice? Rethinking the Role of Autonomy and Relatedness in Chinese Children’s Motivation

However, **freedom of choice is not equivalent to autonomy**. 
According to self-determination theory, ‘‘the issue of autonomy
concerns the extent to which one fully accepts,
endorses, or stands behind one’s actions’’ (Chirkov,
Ryan, Kim, & Kaplan, 2003, p. 99). It is possible for
individuals to feel autonomous when they follow
a choice made by others as long as they concur fully
with and endorse this choice.

• Internalization

the effect of freedom of choice on motivation. If individuals can internalize the demands of others, they will be motivated to act on these demands as if they themselves had the freedom to make the choice```