Ga. Nix et al., Revitalization through self-regulation: The effects of autonomous and controlled motivation on happiness and vitality, J EXP S PSY, 35(3), 1999, pp. 266-284
Three studies examined the effects of experimentally induced motivational o
rientations on the subtly different positive affects of vitality and happin
ess. We hypothesized, based on self-determination theory Deci & Ryan, 1991;
Ryan & Frederick, 1997), that doing well when autonomously motivated would
enhance subjective vitality relative to doing well when controlled in one'
s motivation, but that doing well under the two motivational states would n
ot have differential effects on happiness. Two experiments in which motivat
ion was induced by instructions to participants about task engagement and a
third experiment using an attributional methodology yielded the hypothesiz
ed pattern of effects. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of
differentiating positive outcomes in terms of their underlying motives and
of giving increased attention to understanding restorative environments. (C
) 1999 Academic Press.