The bright and dark side of autonomy: How autonomy support and thwarting relate to student motivation and academic functioning

Abstract

According to Self-Determination Theory, autonomy support is essential in fostering optimal learning, growth, and functioning in students across all levels. In contrast, autonomy thwarting is associated with student malfunctioning. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between perceptions of autonomy support and thwarting, students’ autonomous and controlled motivations, and aspects of student functioning in a higher education setting. The sample consisted of 414 Norwegian university students recruited from introductory calculus courses. Structural equation modeling indicated that perceived autonomy support predicts autonomous motivation and is negatively linked to controlled motivation. Autonomy thwarting is negatively linked to autonomous motivation and positively predicts controlled motivation. We found that autonomous motivation predicts engagement, effort, and learning. Controlled motivation is negatively linked to vitality and engagement, and positively predicts effort. The results are in line with the tenets of Self-Determination Theory, and the present study highlights the importance of providing an autonomy supportive environment during higher education lectures.

Experimental Investigation of Goal Framing Effect on Motivation Quality among Undergraduates

“…This may be due to the reason that students did the class activity as a part of the course and hence found it an external obligation to do. When students feel bound to do a task, they experience controlled motivation (Johansen et al, 2023;Van Soom & Donche, 2014). This was in line with the previous research on goals and motivation in Western cultures (Guay, 2022;Sheldon et al, 2004;Vansteenkiste et al, 2006).…”

“…Intrinsic framing may also result in higher levels of amotivation because the participants were not given a choice of reading or not reading in our study, where choice is an important factor that fosters autonomous motivation (Johansen et al, 2023). They did it as a class task that might have given them pressure and caused amotivation.…”

Caring Climate and Support, Mental Health, and Academic Adjustment: Effects from a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in Upper Secondary Schools in Norway

“…In other words, it is possible that because students spend little time with each individual teacher, it is difficult to form meaningful connections [49]. However, research on instructor support in higher education, where students spend even less time with individual instructors than in secondary school, has indicated that autonomy-supportive teachers benefit students' perceived competence, motivation, and academic functioning [50,51]. Further, previous research on upper secondary school samples has shown that relationships with teachers are important for students' mental health [9] and completion of their education [1].…”

The role of gamified learning strategies in student's motivation in high school and higher education: A systematic review

“…Gamification can have an important contribution: for example, if a gamified design promotes autonomy support through the possibility of choosing an avatar or a mission, if includes social aspects as chats or teamwork to facilitate relatedness and if give instant feedback for an achievement to foster competence, then the gamified experience will promote the basic psychological needs and students will be more positively motivated [e.g., [53] , [54] ]. To be noted that this approach and the research have demonstrated the importance of autonomy in the motivational process [e.g., [50] , [54] , [55] ].…”