Human Factors and Technology Research Using Self-Determination Theory

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Behavioral Sciences editorial team, we are delighted to announce a new Special Issue on the topic of “Human Factors and Technology Research Using Self-Determination Theory”, guest edited by Christina Frederick from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Self-determination theory (SDT), developed by Richard Ryan and Edward Deci and introduced to a global audience in 1985 with the pioneering book Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior, has made its mark as one of the most widely used theories in psychological science. Since that time, this theory of human motivation has been applied to many psychological domains with the aim of understanding why people initiate and sustain efforts, as well as the outcomes they achieve as a result of their engagement. SDT explores three fundamental human needs that motivate human behavior: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. When these needs are satisfied, be it at home, work, school, or in other life domains, wellbeing increases. When one or more of the three basic psychological needs are thwarted, wellbeing and optimal performance decrease. SDT proposes that autonomy, competence, and relatedness are universal needs, and although they may be influenced by individual, social, or cultural issues, they function in the same way in all human beings regardless of those differences.

Human factors (HF) is the field of psychology that focuses on human–machine interactions, and modern human factors work dates back to the early 1900s when Frank Gilbreth and Frederick Winslow Taylor studied the behavior of factory workers and strove to understand and apply scientific principles to the management of work and workers. Human factors research then accelerated during WWII when scientists developed early mechanical simulators to train pilots. Currently, human factors as a discipline occupies a space in psychology, but is linked strongly to other disciplines including engineering, computer science, biology, medicine, and education. The focus on how we understand and predict human behavior in relationship to the myriad of technologies we engage with in human life remains a focus for HF research. Whether it is the study of how to train doctors to perform surgery safely using remote robotic arms or understanding how to design a website for greater usability, HF work focuses on applying science in real-life domains to better human performance.

Very little research has been conducted on applying SDT to human factors research and research with a technological focus. For example, how does human motivation affect human–machine interactions and with what results? With this Special Issue we invite submissions that explore the application of SDT to topics that utilize human factors methods and applications in order to understand how human motivation affects interactions with, and use of, technology, and the outcomes thereof. The Special Issue defines technology broadly, including physical technologies, such as vehicles, appliances, robots, and mechanical devices, and computer-based technologies, such as AR/VR/MR technology, websites, social media applications, computers, tablets, smart phones, and other digital programs or interfaces.

Our goal is to foster a vibrant multi- and cross-disciplinary community of authors and readers to discuss the latest evidence, generate new ideas, and propose future research directions. We welcome original research articles utilizing experimental, self-reported, or other empirical methods, systematic literature reviews, or meta-analyses from scholars and applied researchers working in private industry and public or government laboratories. Studies that apply SDT to HF and technology research in new domains are welcomed.

We look forward to your contributions advancing our understanding of how SDT relates to human factors and technology research.

Prof. Dr. Christina Frederick
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• self-determination theory
• human factors
• motivation
• human computer interaction
• human centered design