When I first signed up to write about self-determination, I believe I had a bit of a bias. As a mother of a young adult with autism, I can tell you that self-determination has been a driving force in ...

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, one prevailing challenge persists: motivating students. The last few years have witnessed a noticeable shift in student behavior, consisting of apathy, ...

Psychologist Edward L. Deci died on Feb. 14, 2026. He was 83. His loss is humanity’s loss. His life was humanity’s great gain. If you ever felt your motivation drain away under a micromanaging boss, ...

Self-determination theory (SDT) is an empirically based theory of motivation and psychological development that is especially focused on the basic psychological needs that promote high quality ...

Dr. Edward L. Deci, a University of Rochester psychology professor, challenged traditional motivation theories and co-developed the widely accepted self-determination theory.

Motivation is one of those topics that gets studied, debated, and written about endlessly. Psychologists have spent decades breaking it down into theories like Self-Determination Theory and Maslow’s ...