Beyond intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: A meta-analysis on self-determination theory’s multidimensional conceptualization of work motivation

TLDR

This meta‑analysis examines the added value of SDT’s multidimensional motivation framework by assessing the unique and incremental validity of its motivation types for predicting organizational behavior and by exploring how increasing self‑determined motivation leads to progressively better outcomes, while also addressing conceptual and methodological implications for the employee motivation literature. The authors conducted a meta‑analysis of 124 samples to evaluate the unique and incremental validity of each SDT motivation type for predicting organizational behavior. The meta‑analysis shows that intrinsic motivation most strongly predicts employee well‑being, attitudes, and behavior; identified regulation best predicts performance and organizational citizenship; introjection has both positive and negative effects; external regulation has limited behavioral associations and well‑being costs; and amotivation only yields negative outcomes.

Abstract

This meta-analysis aims to shed light on the added value of the complex multidimensional view on motivation of Self-determination theory (SDT). We assess the unique and incremental validity of each of SDT’s types of motivation in predicting organizational behavior, and examine SDT’s core proposition that increasing self-determined types of motivation should have increasingly positive outcomes. Meta-analytic findings (124 samples) support SDT, but also adds precision to its predictions: Intrinsic motivation is the most important type of motivation for employee well-being, attitudes and behavior, yet identified regulation is more powerful in predicting performance and organizational citizenship behavior. Furthermore, introjection has both positive and negative consequences, while external regulation has limited associations with employee behavior and has well-being costs. Amotivation only has negative consequences. We address conceptual and methodological implications arising from this research and exemplify how these results may inform and clarify lingering issues in the literature on employee motivation.