The Independent Effects of Goal Contents and Motives on Well-Being: It’s Both What You Pursue and Why You Pursue It
Abstract
The assertion that both the content of goals and the motives behind goals affect psychological well-being has been controversial. Three studies examined this issue directly, showing that both what goals people pursue (i.e., whether they strive for extrinsic vs. intrinsic goal contents) and why people pursue them (i.e., whether they strive for autonomous vs. controlled motives) make significant independent contributions to psychological well-being. The pattern emerged in between-person and within-person studies of cross-sectional well-being and also emerged in a year-long study of prospective change in well-being. Implications for prescriptive theories of happiness are discussed.
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Relations from perceived autonomy support to exercise behavior, via psychological needs and regulatory styles, have been tested in part or all in several studies and in general confirm the proposed sequences.
“Relations from perceived autonomy support to exercise behavior, via psychological needs and regulatory styles have been tested (in part or all) in several studies and in general these confirm the proposed sequences [17,44,43,77,76,38,33].”
From Exercise, physical activity, and self-determination theory: A systematic review (2012) · cites this paper as [43]
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- Authors
- Sheldon, K. M., Ryan, R. M., Deci, E. L., & Kasser, T.
- Affiliations
- University of Missouri (US)
- University of Rochester (US)
- Knox College (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sheldon, Kennon M.
- Venue
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2004-04
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 475-486
- ISSN
- 0146-1672 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7433
- OpenAlex
- W2122394990
- Cited by
- 981
- References
- 48
- Citations by year
- 2026: 28 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 51 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 125 · 2019: 45 · 2018: 103 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 53 · 2015: 41 · 2014: 43 · 2013: 45 · 2012: 51
- FWCI
- 27.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH053385, MH-53385)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Human Behavior and Motivation
- Keywords
- goal content, psychological well-being, intrinsic goals, extrinsic goals, autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, self-determination theory, happiness, within-person change
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Goals, Happiness, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Prospective Studies, Self Concept
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