On psychological growth and vulnerability: Basic psychological need satisfaction and need frustration as a unifying principle.

The three basic needs are the most rigorously shown to be essential and predictive of wellbeing and other desired HCI outcomes, and therefore most critically important to assess within HCI contexts.

“We are simply highlighting that these three are the most rigorously shown to be essential and predictive of wellbeing and other desired HCI outcomes, and therefore most critically important to assess within HCI contexts.”

The claim that the three factors are the most predictive and reliable mediators of motivation, engagement and wellbeing is based on four decades of empirical research.

“More importantly, this claim is based, not on opinion, but on four decades of empirical research systematically demonstrating these specific three factors to be the most predictive and reliable mediators of motivation, engagement and wellbeing.”

The limited body of research on need frustration variables restricted the ability to implement them in the current analysis.

“This was also the case for need frustration variables (Vansteenkiste & Ryan, 2013).”

During the past decade, a conceptual and methodological breakthrough led to an exponential increase in the study of the 'dark' side of human functioning and to a focus on need thwarting conditions and need frustrating experiences.

“During the past decade, however, a conceptual and methodological breakthrough led to an exponential increase in the study of the 'dark' side of human functioning and to a focus on need thwarting conditions and need frustrating experiences (Bartholomew et al. 2011;Vansteenkiste and Ryan 2013).”

The increasing attention paid to individuals' need frustration was congruent with SDT's meta-theoretical assumption that individuals are vulnerable for being self-centered, passive, and aggressive.

“The increasing attention paid to individuals' need frustration was also congruent with SDT's meta-theoretical assumption that individuals are vulnerable for being selfcentered, passive, and aggressive (Ryan and Deci 2000b;Vansteenkiste and Ryan 2013).”

SDT's view on human nature appeared especially controversial from the perspective of some cultural relativist views because the assumption of a growth tendency supported by universal needs contradicts their blank slate, culture-as-script understanding of human propensities.

“SDT's view on human nature appeared especially controversial from the perspective of some cultural relativist views (e.g., Markus and Kitayama 2003) because the assumption of a growth tendency supported by universal needs contradicts their blank slate, culture-as-script understanding of human propensities (Vansteenkiste and Ryan 2013).”

Although the aim of oppositional defiance is to cope with need frustration, it typically increases subsequent need frustration.

“Although the aim of oppositional defiance is to cope with need frustration, it typically increases subsequent need frustration (Vansteenkiste & Ryan, 2013).”

Needs that emerge only in response to frustrations of basic psychological needs often represent a need-substitute or a compensatory preference.

“Needs that emerge only in response to frustrations of basic psychological needs often represent a need-substitute or a compensatory preference (Ryan and Deci 2017;Vansteenkiste and Ryan 2013).”

Need satisfaction and need frustration stand in an asymmetrical relation: the absence of need satisfaction does not necessarily imply the presence of need frustration, whereas the presence of need frustration denotes the absence of need satisfaction.

“These two experiences (i.e., need satisfaction and frustration) stand in an asymmetrical relation to each other, as the absence of need satisfaction does not necessarily imply the presence of need frustration, whereas the presence of need frustration denotes the absence of need satisfaction (Vansteenkiste and Ryan 2013).”

A confrontation with a need-frustrating activity or context may elicit different responses, including disengagement from the activity or context or more active attempts to compensate for frustrated needs.

“A confrontation with a needfrustrating activity or context may elicit different responses, including disengagement from the activity or context or more active attempts to compensate for frustrated needs.”

Need frustration is a distinct notion because it involves an active threat of the psychological needs rather than a mere absence of need satisfaction.

“The reason for treating need frustration as a distinct notion is that it involves an active threat of the psychological needs (rather than a mere absence of need satisfaction).”

Individuals may react to experiences of need frustration with oppositional defiance, doing the opposite of what is requested by socializing figures.

“Alternatively, individuals may react to experiences of need frustration with oppositional defiance, thereby doing the opposite of what is requested by socializing figures (Vansteenkiste and Ryan 2013).”

The study of need frustration as a separate dimension from need satisfaction has extended the reach of BPNT, with need-based experiences potentially playing a unifying role between literature on psychological growth and well-being and literature on psychopathology and risk.

“Clearly, the study of need frustration as a separate dimension from need satisfsaction has extended the reach of BPNT, with need-based experiences potentially playing a unifying role between literature on psychological growth and wellbeing and literature on psychopathology and risk ( Vansteenkiste and Ryan 2013).”

When basic psychological needs are satisfied, they foster growth and psychosocial adjustment.

“When satisfied, these needs foster growth and psychosocial adjustment.”

When basic psychological needs are frustrated, people display maladjustment and psychopathology.

“When frustrated, people would display maladjustment and psychopathology (Ryan & Deci, 2000; Vansteenkiste & Ryan, 2013).”

Satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs is associated with sustained engagement and wellbeing, while frustration of these needs is associated with disengagement and ill-being.

“The satisfaction of these three needs is associated with sustained engagement and wellbeing, while frustration of these needs is associated with disengagement and ill-being (Vansteenkiste and Ryan, 2013).”

Basic psychological need frustration predicts amotivation, leading to low adherence and high dropout rates.

“On the contrary, BPN's frustration predicts amotivation (Bartholomew et al., 2011a; Vansteenkiste and Ryan, 2013), leading to low adherence and high dropout rates (Bartholomew et al., 2011b; Ng et al., 2013).”