Definition
A theoretical sequence which orders many different types of motivation into a single continuum.
Introduction
The “relative autonomy continuum” (RAC) is a foundational concept within self-determination theory (SDT), in particular within SDT’s “organismic integration” mini-theory (Deci and Ryan 1990). SDT postulates that all motivated behaviors can be located on an internalization continuum ranging from very little felt autonomy at one extreme to very much felt autonomy at the other extreme. According to the theory, autonomy is first and foremost a characteristic of experience. When people feel autonomous, they feel they are standing fully behind their own actions, with a corresponding “internal perceived locus of causality” for their own behavior. In contrast, when people feel nonautonomous, they feel controlled, forced, and pressured in their behavior, with an “external...
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References
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Sheldon, K. M., Osin, E. N., Gordeeva, T. O., Suchkov, D., & Sychev, O. (2017). Evaluating the dimensionality of Self-determination theory’s relative autonomy continuum. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
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Sheldon, K.M., Gordeeva, T.O. (2017). Relative Autonomy Continuum. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_844-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_844-1
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