Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000), the purpose of this thesis was to investigate the role of global/dispositional autonomous and controlled motivation orientations in facilitating posttraumatic growth (PTG; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996, 2004) following the experience of various significant negative life events (Manuscript 1), relationship dissolution (Manuscript 2), and bereavement (Manuscript 3) in two university student samples. The objectives were to investigate the contribution of dispositional autonomous and controlled motivation in statistically predicting PTG above and beyond previously researched correlates; and explore the mediating role of cognitive appraisals and coping strategies in explaining the relationship between dispositional motivation orientations and PTG. Consistent with the overall hypotheses of the thesis, dispositional autonomous motivation was positively associated with PTG across all three manuscripts. Across all three manuscripts, we found that dispositional autonomous motivation explained a unique portion of the variance in explaining PTG, above and beyond previously researched correlates of PTG and dispositional controlled motivation. Mediation results indicated an indirect effect of dispositional autonomous motivation on PTG through primary cognitive appraisal (Manuscript 1). Dispositional autonomous motivation was positively associated with task-oriented coping strategies across all three manuscripts. Moreover, task-oriented coping strategies were the strongest indirect effect in Manuscript 1, and the only significant indirect effect in Manuscript 2 and Manuscript 3 between dispositional autonomous motivation and PTG. Dispositional controlled motivation was positively related to disengagement-oriented coping strategies in Manuscript 1 and 2, but unrelated in Manuscript 3. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of incorporating motivation orientations into theoretical models of PTG and aiding practitioners in better recognizing the significance of motivational factors in facilitating posttraumatic growth.

Grounded in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000) and objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997), the purpose of this thesis was to investigate the role of dispositional autonomous and controlled motivation in predicting who might be more protected from or more vulnerable to experiencing state self-objectification (Manuscript 1), diminished cognitive functioning or cognitive performance (Manuscript 1 & 2), and poorer self-evaluations (Manuscript 2) following exposure to advertisements portraying one of two leading cultural body ideals: the male muscular ideal (Manuscript 1) or female thin ideal (Manuscript 2). The objectives were to investigate the effects of the two ideals while evaluating the contribution of autonomous and controlled motivation orientation in statistically predicting various body image consequences using five separate male undergraduate samples. Consistent with the overall hypotheses of the thesis, the muscular ideal video and thin ideal video significantly decreased men’s cognitive functioning and cognitive performance compared to men in the neutral video conditions (Manuscript 1 & 2). In addition, men who were primed with the muscular ideal video demonstrated significantly higher levels of self-objectification compared to those in the neutral condition (Manuscript 1: Study 1 and Study 2). Mediation results revealed an indirect effect of the muscular ideal video on men’s cognitive functioning (i.e., appearance schema activation) through self-objectification (Manuscript 1: Study 1), thereby supporting objectification theory as a means of explaining how portrayals of muscular body ideals affect men’s cognitive function. However, inconsistent with previous studies, the female thin ideal did not significantly affect men’s self-evaluations (Manuscript 2: Study 2). Lastly, in line with self-determination theory, all five studies (Manuscript 1 & 2) found that autonomous motivation orientation played a significant moderating role against the cognitive consequences associated with cultural body ideals among young college men. Men who viewed the muscular ideal video and who reported high levels of dispositional autonomous motivation demonstrated less appearance schema activation, less difficulty solving a challenging Soma puzzle, and performed better on the Modified Stroop task compared to men with low levels of dispositional autonomous motivation (Manuscript 1). Similarly, men who reported high levels of dispositional autonomous motivation and viewed the thin ideal also demonstrated less appearance schema activation and less difficulty solving a challenging Soma puzzle compared to men who reported low levels of dispositional autonomous motivation (Manuscript 2). In contrast, controlled motivation orientation was not a significant moderator across all five studies (Manuscript 1 & 2). Collectively, our findings highlight the importance of incorporating autonomous motivation orientation and self-objectification into theoretical models of men’s body image.

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Cette recherche vise à évaluer l’influence de la rémunération fixe et de la rémunération variable sur la motivation autonome au travail. La recherche mobilise la théorie de l’autodétermination. Elle se compose de deux études distinctes basées sur deux échantillons de 147 puis de 137 salariés de la même coopérative viti-vinicole. La première étude a pour objectif de tester un modèle de recherche qui tente d’expliquer les effets du niveau de rémunération fixe sur la motivation autonome et la satisfaction au travail ainsi que sur un ensemble de comportements reliés. Les résultats supportent l’hypothèse que le support organisationnel perçu médiatise totalement la relation entre la rémunération fixe et la motivation autonome. Cette étude supporte également les hypothèses que la motivation autonome médiatise totalement la relation entre le soutien organisationnel perçu et l’engagement, puis que l’engagement médiatise totalement la relation entre la motivation autonome et la satisfaction au travail.La deuxième étude a pour objectif de tester un modèle de recherche qui tente d’expliquer les effets modérateurs des rémunérations variables sur la relation entre la motivation autonome et la performance au travail. Les effets modérateurs des rémunérations variables individuelles et collectives sont étudiés de façon différenciée sur différentes facettes de la performance : dans la tâche, contextuelle et adaptative. Les résultats de l’étude supportent l’hypothèse que la motivation autonome est positivement reliée à la performance dans la tâche, contextuelle et adaptative. Cette étude supporte également l’hypothèse que les primes individuelles modèrent positivement la relation entre la motivation autonome et les différentes facettes de la performance. / This research aims to evaluate the influence of fixed and variable compensation on autonomous motivation at work. The research mobilizes the self-determination theory. It consists of two separate studies based on two samples of 147 and 137 employees of the same wine cooperative. The aim of the first study is to test a research model that attempts to explain the effects of the fixed compensation level on autonomous motivation and job satisfaction, as well as on a set of related behaviors. The results support the hypothesis that perceived organizational support fully mediates the relationship between fixed compensation and autonomous motivation. This study also supports the hypothesis that autonomous motivation fully mediates the relationship between perceived organizational support and engagement, and that engagement fully mediates the relationship between autonomous motivation and job satisfaction. The aim of the second study is to test a research model that attempts to explain the moderating effects of variable compensation on the relationship between autonomous motivation and performance at work. The moderating effects of individual and collective compensation are studied in a differentiated way. Similarly, task, contextual and adaptive performance is examined in a differentiated way. The results of the study support the hypothesis that autonomous motivation is positively related to, task, contextual and adaptive performance. This study also supports the hypothesis that individual compensation positively moderates the relationship between autonomous motivation and the different facets of performance.

Mean daily vegetable consumption is below the recommended 7-10 servings in the diet of adult Canadians. This thesis aimed to investigate the moderating role of perceived barriers on the relationship between motivation and (greater) vegetable consumption. 606 people from the Ontario Food panel participated in the online study. The results identified a positive moderating effect of perceived barriers on the relationship between autonomous motivation and vegetable consumption (p < .05) and negative approaching significance moderating effect of perceived barriers on controlled motivation and vegetable intake (p = 0.056). Also four motivational profiles of consumers were identified and described in terms of vegetable consumption, food related behaviors, stages of change and socio-demographic characteristics. These results extend the Self-Determination Theory with perceived barriers component and can inform intervention program development for social marketers and policy makers.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the associations between academic commitment theory (operationalised as meaningful commitment) (Human-Vogel & Rabe, 2015), and self-determination theoretical constructs (operationalised through need support, need satisfaction, autonomous self-regulation and perceived competence) (Deci & Ryan, 2000) in predicting the academic achievement levels of South African Gr 11 and 12 learners. Data was collected on two occasions; participants initially completed a survey and I then obtained their average academic marks. Participants reported average to higher levels of measured constructs and responses on all measurements displayed a normal distribution. I used path analysis to test two hypothesised and several additional models. The results indicated that neither autonomous self-regulation nor meaningful commitment directly predicted academic achievement but that both constructs indirectly predicted academic achievement through basic psychological need satisfaction and perceived competence. Meaningful commitment, furthermore, predicted twice as much variance in need satisfaction as autonomous self-regulation, and was a significant predictor of autonomous motivation. The findings of this study provide some insight into the role of meaning in self-determination theory, as well the organising role of meaningful commitment in self-regulating behavioural choices. These findings may also help educators and policy makers to create learning environments in which learners’ need for meaning and self-determination is supported, so that they can achieve academic success. Methodologically, the present study contributes to the validation of the meaningfulness subscale and the application of self-determination theory instruments in a South African context. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Educational Psychology / PhD / Unrestricted

Previous research has shown that exerting self-control on a demanding task can impair performance on a subsequent demanding self-control task. This phenomenon is known as ego-depletion; however, its underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Notable gaps in the literature exist regarding whether participants’ motivation levels can attenuate the depletion effect, and whether trait self-control is related. Drawing from the process model of depletion and the self-determination theory, the goal of the study was to examine whether motivational incentives in the form of autonomy can impact performance on tasks in an ego-depleted state, and the potential relationship of trait self-control. Amazon Mechanical Turk was utilized to conduct this experimental quantitative study with a 2 (ego-depletion: yes or no) x 2 (autonomous reward motivation: incentivized or nonincentivized) between-subjects factorial design. The effects of an autonomous motivational incentive were compared with the effects of no incentive on a convenience sample of online participants (N = 211), half of whom performed a task designed to be depleting of self-control resources, and half of whom performed a non-depleting task instead. Multivariate ANCOVAs showed no significant differences for performance on a subsequent self-control task for any of the experimental groups, and no co-variance of trait self-control was found (as measured by the Brief Self-Control Scale). This study will contribute to social change by increasing understanding of the factors contributing to self-control. This knowledge will be useful to anyone intending to strengthen their own willpower and achieve their goals, and may enable practitioners to better assist clients struggling with addictions and other maladaptive behaviors.

Syfte: Med utgångspunkt från Self Determination Theory belysa hur den autonoma och kontrollerade motivationen påverkas hos medarbetare då företag arbetar budgetlöst med avseende på decentralisering, målstyrning och belöningssystem.  Metod: Studien har utgått från ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv där fenomenet som studerats ses vara av socialkonstruktivistisk art. Teori och empiri har arbetats fram iterativt med hjälp av abduktion där grunden för studien har varit i form av en fallstudie med ett kvalitativt angreppssätt genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Intervjuguiden används som utgångspunkt vid kategoriseringen i empirin vilket analysen baseras på.   Resultat &amp; slutsats: Studien tyder på att decentralisering och målstyrning inom budgetlös styrning främst påverkar den autonoma motivationen. Gällande belöningssystem gav inte studien något entydigt resultat men vissa indikationer på att det fanns en risk för att en kontrollerad motivation skulle kunna uppstå. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Till vidare forskning inom budgetlös styrning föreslår vi att undersöka belöningssystem ur ett ledningsperspektiv och påverkan på deras motivation samt att undersöka huruvida det finns ett samband mellan principerna bakom en fungerande decentralisering och motivation.   Studiens bidrag: Teoretiskt bidrar studien med att decentralisering och målstyrning påverkar den autonoma motivationen positivt medans belöningssystem kan bidra till att kontrollerad motivation uppstår. Praktiskt bidrag visar att decentralisering och målstyrning ökar möjligheten till eget ansvar och beslutsfattande, detta bör dock företag arbeta mer aktivt med. / Aim: Based on the self-determination theory shed light on how the autonomous and controlled motivation  affects the employees in companies using beyond budgeting regarding to decentralization , management by objectives and reward systems. Method: This study has a hermeneutic perspective with a base of social constructivism. The theory and the empirical material have been approached iteratively with the help of abduction method. The design of the study is a case study with a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews.The interview guide is used as the basis for categorization of empirical data which the analysis is based upon.   Result &amp; Conclusion: The study suggests that decentralization and management by objectives using beyond budgeting primarily affects the autonomic motivation. Current reward system did not show any unequivocal results but some indications that there was a risk that a controlled motivation could arise.  Suggestions for future research:  For further research in Beyond Budgeting, we propose to investigate the reward system from a management perspective and the impact on their motivation and to investigate whether there is a connection between the principles behind the functioning of decentralization and motivation. Contribution of the thesis: From a theoretical point of view, this study contributes to decentralization and management by objectives primarily affects the autonomous motivation while the reward system may contribute to controlled motivation. Practical contribution shows that decentralization and management by objectives within Beyond Budgeting increases the possibility of personal responsibility and decision-making, this should companies work more actively with.

Upper secondary education has been identified by different institutions as the minimum educational threshold in a knowledge society, a necessary requirement for citizens of all ages to respond to the social changes driven by global technological innovation. Figures from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) unfortunately show that a large share of adult population in OECD countries still lack upper secondary qualifications. Italy appears in these statistics as one among the lowest ranking countries and provisions currently in place to bring adult citizens back to school still yield quite low numbers. This research aims at exploring the challenges to adult students' participation in upper secondary education in Italy examining the actual experience of a group of grown-up learners attending a public vocational school. The results of the inquiry are based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews framed in a qualitative research design. The study is grounded in a theoretical frame derived both from participation theories and from the capability approach. The main conclusion of the research is that successful participation and persistence in adult education require students’ expectations to be appropriately met by an attentive customized institutional support. To this respect, the research suggests recommendations in order to improve public information about provisions for grown-up students, to separate adult education from second chance teenage schooling and to customize adult learning through appropriate learning management tools.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether dispositional mindfulness moderates the relationship between autonomous motivation and training frequency. The study conducted was a cross sectional study in the form of a digital questionnaire survey, in which the participants filled in three different self assessment questionnaires that measured dispositional mindfulness (FFMQ), Autonomous motivation (BREQ-4) and average training frequency during a 7-day period (GODIN). The selection of participants consisted of 134 individuals (73.9% women and 26.1% men) between the ages of 18-58 (M = 39.61; SD = 11.6). The result of the study was non-significant, which indicates that dispositional mindfulness does not moderate the relationship between autonomous motivation and training frequency. The relationship between these three variables is in previous studies relatively underrepresented, therefore more studies (e.g. experimental and longitudinal studies) should be conducted to be able to draw a definitive conclusion about the effect mindfulness has on the relationship between motivation and training frequency. Since this study diminishes the statement of training frequency being positively affected by mindfulness, future studies could suggestively shift focus and conduct deeper investigations about whether mindfulness affects other aspects of training (e.g. performance or regulation of emotions). This study does not indicate any practical implications, but in the long term, the result of this study could be used as a building block to conclude how mindfulness could be a useful and low-cost tool for sustainable practice of physical activity in the long term, which WHO (2020) demands. / Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka huruvida dispositionell mindfulness kan moderera självbestämmande motivation gentemot motionsmängd. Undersökningen som genomfördes var en digital enkätundersökning i tvärsnittsdesign, där samtliga deltagare under ett tillfälle fyllde i tre olika formulär som representerade respektive variabel, det vill säga dispositionell mindfulness (FFMQ), självbestämmande motivation (BREQ-4) och genomsnittlig motionsmängd på en sju dagars-period (GODIN). Urvalet bestod av 134 individer (73,9% kvinnor och 26.1% män) mellan åldrarna 18-58 (M = 39.61; SD = 11.6). Resultatet blev icke-signifikant, vilket indikerar att dispositionell mindfulness inte modererar relationen mellan självbestämmande motion och motionsmängd. Denna relation mellan dessa tre specifika variabler är relativt outforskad, därav behövs fler framtida studier i form av exempelvis experimentella och longitudinella studier för att kunna dra en definitiv slutats kring mindfulness effekt på relationen mellan motivation och motionsmängd. Eftersom denna studie försvagar påståendet att just motionsmängd blir positivt påverkat av mindfulness, kan framtida studier förslagsvis skifta fokus och djupare undersöka huruvida mindfulness påverkar andra aspekter av motion, exempelvis prestation eller emotionsreglering. Denna studie ger inga direkta praktiska implikationer, men långsiktigt kan detta resultat agera som en byggsten kring huruvida mindfulness eventuellt kan användas som ett hjälpmedel till vad WHO (2020) efterfrågar, nämligen ett priseffektivt verktyg till främjandet av långsiktigt och hållbart utövande av fysisk aktivitet.