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Self-determination theory as an alternate conceptual foundation for motivation in natural resource research

Kyle Smith·Adam Landon·David C. Fulton·Gerard Kyle
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Abstract

Motivation is a topic that receives substantial interest across the social sciences. However, in the human dimensions of natural resource literature, scholars have primarily treated motivation as a construct narrowly defined by the individual’s desired goal state. In contrast, self-determination theory (SDT) suggests that multiple forms of motivation can influence levels of self-determination, integration of identities, and subsequent behavioral intentions, and has been utilized in multiple realms to understand human behavior. SDT forms a consistent and well-understood mechanism for human psychological development and optimal function and allows for the formulation of out-of-sample prediction, a cornerstone of science. In this manuscript, we review the basic theories that make up SDT and provide insight for its application to human dimensions of natural resource research.

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Kyle Smith, Adam Landon, David C. Fulton, Gerard Kyle. 2024-03-08. Self-determination theory as an alternate conceptual foundation for motivation in natural resource research. https://doi.org/10.1080/10871209.2023.2285017

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