The Science of Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolution - Social Determination Theory
Self-Determination Theory
The next theory of behaviour change in our quest to help you keep your exercise New Year’s Resolution is Self-Determination Theory.
Along with Theory of Planned behaviour, Self-Determination Theory (SDT) has become the other prominent theory in looking at health behaviour.
SDT comes from family of theories called ‘humanistic theories’ which might sound fancy but essentially means that it focuses on the fulfilment of self-actualisation and human potential (our need to be the best we can be).[i]
Motivation
SDT distinguishes between motivations that come from with us, called intrinsic motivation, and, motivations that come from outside of us, called extrinsic motivation. Examples of intrinsic motivations for exercise are things like enjoying exercise or wanting to challenge yourself or a sense of personal accomplishment. Extrinsic motivations include things such as exercising because your doctor or spouse told you to or to impress someone. Internal motivation are more likely result in lasting behaviour change.
Psychological Needs
Secondly, SDT argues that we have basic psychological needs which includes relatedness, competence and autonomy.[ii] These needs drive us and we have them we have more vitality and feel better.[iii] If done well, exercise can help with these needs by helping us to feel like we have control (autonomy), like we are competent and can help us to connect with others like those in our fitness class, sports team or our trainer.[iv]However, if exercise is makes us feel controlled, incompetent or isolated, then it will not provide us with these basic psychological needs.[v]
Goal Contents / Participation Motives
SDT also looks at our motives for exercise. SDT describes intrinsic goals as once which are aimed at fulfilling our psychological needs. These include things such as seeking to belong, or seeking to grow.[vi] Whereas extrinsic goals are less concerned with achieving our psychological needs such as seeking wealth or power.[vii] In the exercise world, intrisinc goals would be to challenge ourselves or improve our health and wellbeing whereas extrinsic goals would be to ‘look buff’.[viii] Intrinsic goals are more likely to result in a sense of control an autonomy leading to lasting behaviour change.
Causality Orientations
The last influence proposed by SDT are causality orientations. Ever realise how different people see the world in different ways? When something good happens, some people generally believe that it is due to external things such as luck or fate or the universe. While others believe it is due to internal things such as skill or intelligence. The same goes for bad events. Some people blame them world and others blame themselves. Similarly, SDT proposes that some people are more inclined to follow their own internal preferences when deciding on a course of action while others are more inclined to follow external factors.[ix] Lastly, there is a group of people who are generally unresponsive to both internal or external factors.[x]
Conclusion
Self-Determination Theory proposes that successful behaviour change is predicted by, behaviours that helps us feel a sense of control, a sense of competence and sense of connection. Internal motivations and goals help us to feel a greater sense of control and autonomy are therefore more likely to result in behaviours change.
Think about what motivates you to exercise. Try and use goals and motivations that are about you and not driven by others. If you exercise because you enjoy it or because you want to feel better rather than to impress others, then you are more likely to feel competent and in control and to achieve your exercise goals.
[i]Teixeira, Carraca, Markland, Silva & Ryan, 2012.
[ii] Teixeira, Carraca, Markland, Silva & Ryan, 2012.
[iii] 15 Cited in Teixeira, Carraca, Markland, Silva & Ryan, 2012.
[iv] Teixeira, Carraca, Markland, Silva & Ryan, 2012.
[v] Teixeira, Carraca, Markland, Silva & Ryan, 2012.
[vi] Teixeira, Carraca, Markland, Silva & Ryan, 2012.
[vii] Teixeira, Carraca, Markland, Silva & Ryan, 2012.
[viii] Teixeira, Carraca, Markland, Silva & Ryan, 2012.
[ix] Teixeira, Carraca, Markland, Silva & Ryan, 2012.
[x] Teixeira, Carraca, Markland, Silva & Ryan, 2012.
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