Search Results (116)

Objective: Considering the absence of research testing the entire sequence of passion, behavioral regulation, and subjective well-being (SWB), this study aimed to analyze the hypothetical causal relationships between the variables of a model that integrates the Dualistic Passion Model (DMP) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in order to understand the impact of harmonious passion (HP) and obsessive passion (OP) and the regulation of motivation on the SWB of elite athletes with disability. Method: This study includes 143 elite athletes from national adapted sports (36 female; 107 male) aged between 15 and 59 (M = 29.21; SD = 10.45). Weekly training sessions ranged from 1 to 12 (M = 4.52; SD = 2.71), and the years of competitive practice ranged from 1 to 28 (M = 5.55; SD = 6.98). Data were collected using valid and reliable questionnaires for the study population and analyzed using structural equation analysis. The following results were identified: a positive and a significant effect between OP and self-determination motivation (SDM); a positive but not a significant effect between OP and non-self-determination motivation (NSDM); a significant effect between SDM and SWL and SDM and positive affect (PA); and, finally, a positive but non-significant effect between SDM and negative affect (NA). In contrast, there is a positive and significant effect between HP and SDM; a negative and significant effect between HP and NSDM; a positive but non-significant effect between NSDM and SWL; a negative and significant effect between NSDM and PA; and, finally, a positive and significant effect between NSDM and NA. Conclusions: The perception of passion regarding sport can be a positive predictor of SDM, which, in turn, can influence levels of SWB, both from a cognitive point of view (SWL) and from an emotional point of view (PA). This reinforces the positive effect of the self-determination behavior in adapted sport on SWB and its contribution to health and quality of life in people with disabilities. Full article

Purposes: This study aims to construct a research framework integrating the theory of human values and Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to examine whether parents’ sport values influence their support for children’s continued participation in balance bike activities in terms of the mediation of participation motivation. Methods: Data were collected from 439 parents whose children participated in balance bike activities using a snowball sampling method. Descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling (SEM) were employed to analyze the relationships among parents’ sport values, participation motivation, and continued participation intention. Results: The findings revealed that parents’ sport values significantly predicted participation motivation, which, in turn, remarkably influenced continued participation intention. Participation motivation fully mediated the relationship between sport values and continued participation intention, supporting SDT’s assumption of motivational internalization and highlighting the crucial role of intrinsic motivation. Full article

The accelerating climate crisis demands innovative approaches that address both systemic drivers of environmental degradation and the psychological barriers to sustained pro-environmental action. Traditional climate communication often relies on fear-based messaging, which risks triggering eco-anxiety, disengagement, or paralysis, ultimately underlying long-term behavioral change. This paper proposes mindfulness as an evidence-based alternative to foster sustained pro-environmental behavior (PEB) by integrating insights from neurocognitive science, self-determination theory (SDT), and social diffusion theory. We present a novel framework outlining five pathways through which mindfulness cultivates PEB: (1) enhanced emotional regulation, (2) intrinsic motivation and value-behavior alignment, (3) nature connectedness, (4) collective action, and (5) cognitive flexibility. Critically, we examine structural barriers to scaling mindfulness interventions—including inequities, commercialization risks, and the individualism paradox—and propose mitigation strategies grounded in empirical research. By bridging contemplative science with sustainability praxis, this work advances SDG-aligned strategies (SDG 12, 13) that prioritize both inner resilience and systemic change. It offers a roadmap for research and practice beyond fear-based approaches. Full article

Extensive empirical findings support the idea that intrapreneurial activity benefits employees, organizations, and society. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this paper analyzes the mediating role of intrapreneurial behaviors in the relationship between organizational support for intrapreneurship and employee performance and the moderating role of intra-organizational social capital (ISC) in the relationship between organizational support and intrapreneurial behaviors. Hypotheses were tested using regression analyses via Hayes’ PROCESS macro, allowing for the assessment of moderation–mediation effects. Data were collected from 617 employees across various Israeli organizations using a structured questionnaire. The results indicate that intrapreneurial behaviors are positively associated with employee performance. Additionally, organizational support is indirectly related to performance through intrapreneurial behaviors. This indirect effect is stronger when ISC levels are high, indicating that ISC amplifies the positive impact of organizational support on intrapreneurial behaviors. The findings highlight the importance of both organizational context and individual differences in fostering intrapreneurial activity and enhancing employee performance. Full article

Background: Physical exercise is crucial for the physical and mental health of college students, yet improving their exercise adherence remains a pressing challenge. Based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), physical education (PE) teacher support may enhance students’ self-determined motivation by satisfying their basic psychological needs, thereby promoting exercise adherence. However, the dynamic relationships among teacher support, self-determined motivation, and exercise adherence have not been fully explored. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the dynamic impact of PE teacher support on college students’ exercise adherence and to verify the mediating role of self-determined motivation. Methods: A longitudinal design was adopted, with three waves of data collection (T1, T2, T3) from 555 college students. Cross-lagged models and longitudinal mediation models were constructed to analyze the dynamic relationships among variables. Results: This study found that T1 teacher support significantly and positively predicted T2 self-determined motivation (β = 0.187, p < 0.001) and T2 exercise adherence (β = 0.379, p < 0.001). Self-determined motivation mediated the relationship between teacher support and exercise adherence (mediation effect = 0.039, 95% CI = [0.007, 0.072]). Additionally, bidirectional predictive relationships existed between self-determined motivation and exercise adherence, although the bidirectional relationship between teacher support and exercise adherence was inconsistent across time points. Conclusion: PE teacher support exerts a significant longitudinal impact on college students’ exercise adherence, primarily through direct effects and the mediating role of self-determined motivation. These findings provide theoretical support for college physical education practices, emphasizing the critical role of teacher support in fulfilling students’ basic psychological needs and enhancing exercise adherence. Future research should expand sample sizes and extend tracking periods to comprehensively reveal the dynamic mechanisms among variables. Full article

Background: Charitable crowdfunding platforms have become widely used tools for raising funds to support social and humanitarian causes. As participation in these platforms is voluntary, understanding the influence of individual motivations and cultural values is essential, particularly when engaging donors across culturally diverse regions. Within the framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study explores whether consumers’ cultural orientations influence their motivations and levels of engagement in charitable crowdfunding. Methods: Data were collected through an online survey using the Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) method from 680 participants recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the effects of three cultural dimensions—collectivism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance—on charitable giving behavior, including their interactions with intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Results: Collectivism was found to positively predict charitable giving, while uncertainty avoidance had a negative effect. Power distance showed a mixed influence, depending on the underlying motivational factors. Comparative analysis revealed significant regional differences, particularly between respondents from the Americas and Europe, in the strength and nature of these relationships. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of integrating cultural factors into digital fundraising strategies and offer new insights into how individual cultural values shape prosocial behavior in online crowdfunding environments. Full article

As a high-risk industry characterized by persistently high accident and casualty rates, the construction sector has been extensively studied in terms of individual behavioral safety, organizational safety culture, and safety climate. However, existing research remains fragmented, lacking an integrative perspective to systematically explore the interconnections between these interrelated dimensions. This study investigates the mechanisms through which the ownership climate influences safety behaviors among construction workers in China. Applying self-determination theory (SDT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), we propose a dual-mediation model with team building and risk perception as parallel mediators. Empirical data were collected from 312 frontline workers through structured surveys and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and bootstrapping techniques. The results demonstrate that a sense of ownership climate not only directly enhances the safety behaviors of construction workers but also functions via dual mechanisms: strengthening team building to improve both compliance with and the execution of safety protocols and heightening risk perception awareness to reduce the propensity for risk-taking behaviors. These findings highlight the need for strategies integrating ownership climate cultivation, team collaboration, and risk awareness training to optimize safety outcomes. This study extends the existing literature by bridging motivational (SDT) and cognitive (TPB) frameworks, offering culturally grounded solutions for transient workforce management in high-risk industries. Full article

This study examined the relationships between motivational processes and mental toughness in college skiers based on the self-determination theory (SDT). A total of 332 participants from four skiing items completed four psychological scales assessing motivational factors and mental toughness. The findings revealed that a task-involving climate is positively associated with basic psychological needs, eliciting a positive pathway to autonomous motivation and controlled motivation, thereby positively affecting mental toughness. In contrast, an ego-involving climate is negatively associated with basic psychological needs, eliciting a negative pathway to amotivation, thus negatively affecting mental toughness. The findings highlight the complex interplay between a series of motivational factors and athletes’ mental toughness, underscoring the need to integrate mental-toughness-related factors into the motivational framework. Full article

The disengagement of younger workers, particularly from Generations Y and Z, is a growing concern in contemporary organizational environments. This study analyzes the factors influencing disengagement and the organizational strategies that can reduce its impact. A literature review was conducted, covering studies published between 2014 and 2024, with the selection of publications based on relevance, indexing, and thematic alignment. The findings indicate that disengagement results from a combination of factors. Firstly, job demand factors were identified, such as the misalignment between well-being policies and employee needs, excessive workloads, the absence of remote work and flexible schedules, challenges associated with digitalization and new technologies, economic insecurity, job instability, and frequent organizational changes. Secondly, job resource factors were also highlighted, including inadequate leadership, ineffective communication, limited professional development opportunities, and poorly structured evaluation and reward systems. These findings align with the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model. In addition, psychological factors were observed, namely, a lack of autonomy, experiences of injustice and inequality in the workplace, misalignment between personal values and organizational culture, and the presence of hostile or toxic environments, which correspond to the theoretical assumptions of the Self-Determination Theory (SDT).To address disengagement, organizations should implement organizational strategies, such as physical and mental well-being programs, encourage regular breaks, promote healthy lifestyle campaigns, provide psychological support, and create ergonomic work environments. Additionally, they should foster professional growth through continuous training, mentoring, and transparent recognition and reward systems. Organizational communication must be open and effective, ensuring transparency and active employee participation. The adoption of remote work policies and flexible schedules, along with investments in technology and collaboration tools, also helps maintain engagement. These strategies promote employee satisfaction, motivation, and organizational commitment among workers, particularly those from Generations Y and Z, so organizations must adapt to the evolving expectations of the workforce to prevent long-term negative effects, such as decreased productivity and higher turnover, compromising their competitiveness and sustainability. Full article

The transition to online learning has revolutionized educational experiences while introducing new challenges, such as managing fatigue and staying focused in digital environments. This study examines the relationship between fatigue, social cyberloafing, relaxation, self-regulation, and learning satisfaction in online learning environments. Using an online questionnaire, data were collected from 146 undergraduate students studying at a private university in India. The results show that fatigue is positively related to social cyberloafing, and its impact became negative when relaxation moderated their interrelationship. Further, it was found that social cyberloafing negatively impacted learning satisfaction in students, and when self-regulation moderated this interrelationship, the negative impact of social cyberloafing on learning satisfaction was reduced. Through the lens of self-determination theory (SDT), the current paper highlights that while fatigue and cyberloafing have a negative impact on learning satisfaction, self-regulation acts as an important buffer. This study emphasizes the need to create supportive digital learning environments that address fatigue and promote self-regulation, resulting in higher learning satisfaction. This research contributes to the existing literature on digital well-being and provides actionable insights for educators and learners. Full article

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic disease that influences all health aspects. The self-determination theory (SDT) suggests that three psychological needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness are necessary for motivation to engage in healthy behaviors. Through medical specialty camps, these needs can be met by educating campers on how to manage T1D and realize they are not alone. The volunteer-based, five-day, inaugural tween–teen camp for youth with T1D was held on the campus of a university. The entire camp experience was engineered around the three basic needs described by the SDT. These needs were promoted by physical and educational activities and meeting friends. The Basic Psychological Needs and Frustration Scale was administered as a pre-, post-, and follow-up test. Two of the four measures were significant, the autonomy pretest (M = 3.93; SD = 0.75) to posttest (M = 4.49; SD = 0.56), with t(25) = −6.258; p ≤ 0.001) and relatedness pretest (M = 4.31; SD = 0.79) to posttest (M = 4.53; SD = 0.49), with t(25) = −2.168; p = 0.040; however, mean scores declined at the 3-month follow-up. Campers’ blood glucose levels were collected through an online platform that allowed staff to monitor blood glucose levels, with the week’s average being 150 mg/dL, and almost 71% remaining in the TIR. The results can be helpful for practitioners who want to use the SDT to structure and examine the effectiveness of medical specialty camps for youth with T1D. Full article

Service quality forms the foundation of customer experience value and is a key competitive edge for service-oriented organizations. In response to increasingly diverse service demands, proactive customer service performance (PCSP), which can improve service experience, has captured the attention of researchers and managers. While research on factors influencing PCSP is plentiful, there is a noticeable gap in discussions around organizational-level factors, especially concerning a high-commitment human resource system (HCHRS) designed to enhance positive relationships between organizations and employees. This study collected data from frontline service employees in China and their managers through a questionnaire survey grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), conservation of resources theory (COR), and social exchange theory (SET) and used hierarchical multiple regression and a mediation effect test to investigate the impact mechanism of the HCHRS on PCSP. This study reveals that the HCHRS directly influences PCSP and positively impacts it by bolstering mission valence (MV) and work meaning (WM). Furthermore, MV and WM serve as serial mediators of the process through which HCHRS affects PCSP. This study enriches research on the antecedent mechanisms of PCSP and offers valuable insights for management practices. Full article

This research explores the intersection of health informatics and behavioral science through the lens of fitness technologies, specifically Fitbit products. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study examines how these technologies influence user acceptance and physical activity motivation. Employing a qualitative approach, the paper analyzed Fitbit user reviews to reveal insights into real-world interactions and perceptions, thereby deepening the understanding of technology adoption behaviors in health contexts. The findings highlight the significance of perceived ease of use and usefulness, as well as the integration of health consciousness in technology acceptance, enriching the TAM framework. Additionally, the study confirms Self-Determination Theory’s proposition of intrinsic motivation being more effective for lasting behavior change, as seen in users’ evolving interactions with Fitbit features. Furthermore, this study contributes to health behavior theories by demonstrating the role of technological devices in altering health routines. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have profoundly influenced both professional environments and personal lives. In the rapidly developing sector of AI education, fostering essential AI literacy among university students has become vital. Nevertheless, the factors that determine AI literacy remain insufficiently defined. This research, grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), seeks to investigate the relationships among three components: the fulfillment of university students’ three psychological needs, self-regulated learning strategies (SRLSs), and AI literacy. The aim is to enhance human capital efficiency and prepare students to tackle future workplace challenges effectively. To examine these connections, a cross-sectional survey was administered to 1056 university students. The findings reveal that satisfying the three psychological needs—perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness—plays a pivotal role in advancing AI literacy among university students. Additionally, four SRLSs—cognitive engagement, metacognitive knowledge, resource management, and motivational beliefs—acted as mediators between these psychological needs and AI literacy. Consequently, this study not only enhances our understanding of the psychological and behavioral development of university students during their engagement with AI education but also provides theoretical support and practical guidance for fostering their AI literacy. Full article

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms. The MoveONParkinson project aims to enhance exercise engagement among people with Parkinson’s Disease (PwPD) in the Portuguese context through the ONParkinson digital platform, which provides mobile and web interfaces. While the broader MoveONParkinson project has been previously described from a health-focused perspective, this study specifically focuses on the development and integration of an AI-driven conversational agent (CA) for the Portuguese language, called PANDORA, within the mobile interface of the solution to assist and motivate PwPD in their exercise routines. PANDORA (Parkinson Assistant in Natural Dialogue and Oriented by Rules and Assessments), designed based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), addresses the psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. A preliminary study involving 20 PwPD, 10 caregivers, and 5 healthcare professionals informed the design requirements for PANDORA. The development process involved four main phases: (1) Design of the Chatbot’s Motivation Model, (2) Design and implementation of the conversational agent, (3) Technical Performance Evaluation, and (4) User Experience Evaluation. Technical Performance Evaluation, conducted with three physiotherapists, assessed domain coverage, coherence response capacity, and dialog management capacity, achieving 100% accuracy in domain coverage and coherence response capacity and 89% in dialog management capacity. The User Experience Study involved eight PwPD users recruited from Portuguese healthcare units performing predefined tasks, with user satisfaction scores ranging from 4.2 to 4.9 on a five-point Likert scale. The findings indicate that integrating a conversational agent with motivational cues tends to increase patient engagement. However, further studies are required to determine PANDORA’s impact on exercise engagement in PwPD. Full article