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Desire for control, perception of control: their impact on autonomous motivation and psychological adjustment

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Abstract

The purpose of the present research was to test the relevance of a theoretical framework based on the matches and the mismatches between desire for control and perception of control (Evans et al. in Br J Psychol 84(2):255–273, 1993), in order to predict autonomous motivation (Deci and Ryan in Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Plenum, New York, 1985, 2012), depression, and anxiety (Bradley in Handbook of psychology and diabetes: A guide to psychological measurement in diabetes research and practice. Harwood Academic Press, Chur, 1994; Bruchon-Schweitzer in Psychologie de la Santé: Modèles, concepts et méthodes. Dunod, Paris, 2002). Two prospective studies were run among undergraduate students. Results of Study 1 confirmed the relevance of Evans et al.’s (in Br J Psychol 84(2):255–273, 1993) theoretical framework. More specifically, four clusters reflecting different levels of desire for control and perception of control were found. Moreover, results revealed that profiles characterized by high scores on both desire for control and perception of control were more autonomously motivated than those characterized by the three other possible combinations. Results of Study 2 replicated those of Study 1 and showed that participants combining a low desire for control and a high perception of control were the less depressed, followed by participants with high scores on both measures. No significant effects were found for anxiety.

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Notes

  1. The SOC-Scale which assesses the PC in those three spheres of life has been identified as a better tool than the Rotter’s I-E Locus of Control Scale to explain psychological adjustment (Tetrault and Alain 1999).

  2. Our PC measure assesses to some extent the LOC (the more individual perceives control in the personal sphere, the more their attributional style is internal).

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Acknowledgments

The authors thanks Lenoir François-Régis (Puzzle Concept), Amoura Kahina and Lesseur Nicolas for their help.

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  1. Laboratoire Cognition Santé Socialisation, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA), UFR Lettres et Sciences Humaines Bâtiment 13, RDC haut, R238 57 rue Pierre Taittinger, 51 096, Reims Cedex, France

    Camille Amoura & Sophie Berjot

  2. Laboratoire des Ages de la Vie, Université François Rabelais, Tours, France

    Nicolas Gillet

  3. Laboratoire PSITEC, Université de Lille Nord de France, Villeneuve d’Ascq, Lille 3, France

    Emin Altintas

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  1. Camille Amoura
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  2. Sophie Berjot
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Correspondence to Camille Amoura.

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Amoura, C., Berjot, S., Gillet, N. et al. Desire for control, perception of control: their impact on autonomous motivation and psychological adjustment. Motiv Emot 38, 323–335 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-013-9379-9

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