Are the motivational effects of autonomy-supportive conditions universal? Contrasting results among Indians and Americans
In Western theories of motivation, autonomy is conceived as a universal motivator of human action; enhancing autonomy is expected to increase motivation panculturally. Using a novel online experimental paradigm that afforded a behavioral measure of motivation, we found that, contrary to this prevail...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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2019
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/90108 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/48370 |
| _version_ | 1826115335044988928 |
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| author | Tripathi, Ritu Cervone, Daniel Savani, Krishna |
| author2 | Nanyang Business School |
| author_facet | Nanyang Business School Tripathi, Ritu Cervone, Daniel Savani, Krishna |
| author_sort | Tripathi, Ritu |
| collection | NTU |
| description | In Western theories of motivation, autonomy is conceived as a universal motivator of human action; enhancing autonomy is expected to increase motivation panculturally. Using a novel online experimental paradigm that afforded a behavioral measure of motivation, we found that, contrary to this prevailing view, autonomy cues affect motivation differently among American and Indian corporate professionals. Autonomy-supportive instructions increased motivation among Americans but decreased motivation among Indians. The motivational Cue × Culture interaction was extraordinarily large; the populations exhibited little statistical overlap. A second study suggested that this interaction reflects culturally specific norms that are widely understood by members of the given culture. When evaluating messages to motivate workers, Indians, far more than Americans, preferred a message invoking obligations to one invoking autonomous personal choice norms. Results cast doubt on the claim, made regularly in both basic and applied psychology, that enhancing autonomy is a universally preferred method for boosting motivation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T03:53:47Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/90108 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T03:53:47Z |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/901082023-05-19T06:44:42Z Are the motivational effects of autonomy-supportive conditions universal? Contrasting results among Indians and Americans Tripathi, Ritu Cervone, Daniel Savani, Krishna Nanyang Business School Motivation DRNTU::Business::General Culture In Western theories of motivation, autonomy is conceived as a universal motivator of human action; enhancing autonomy is expected to increase motivation panculturally. Using a novel online experimental paradigm that afforded a behavioral measure of motivation, we found that, contrary to this prevailing view, autonomy cues affect motivation differently among American and Indian corporate professionals. Autonomy-supportive instructions increased motivation among Americans but decreased motivation among Indians. The motivational Cue × Culture interaction was extraordinarily large; the populations exhibited little statistical overlap. A second study suggested that this interaction reflects culturally specific norms that are widely understood by members of the given culture. When evaluating messages to motivate workers, Indians, far more than Americans, preferred a message invoking obligations to one invoking autonomous personal choice norms. Results cast doubt on the claim, made regularly in both basic and applied psychology, that enhancing autonomy is a universally preferred method for boosting motivation. Accepted version 2019-05-27T03:30:41Z 2019-12-06T17:40:50Z 2019-05-27T03:30:41Z 2019-12-06T17:40:50Z 2018 Journal Article Tripathi, R., Cervone, D., & Savani, K. (2018). Are the Motivational Effects of Autonomy-Supportive Conditions Universal? Contrasting Results Among Indians and Americans. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 44(9), 1287-1301. doi:10.1177/0146167218764663 0146-1672 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/90108 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/48370 10.1177/0146167218764663 en Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin © 2018 Society for Personality and Social Psychology. All rights reserved. This paper was published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin and is made available with permission of Society for Personality and Social Psychology. 48 p. application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Motivation DRNTU::Business::General Culture Tripathi, Ritu Cervone, Daniel Savani, Krishna Are the motivational effects of autonomy-supportive conditions universal? Contrasting results among Indians and Americans |
| title | Are the motivational effects of autonomy-supportive conditions universal? Contrasting results among Indians and Americans |
| title_full | Are the motivational effects of autonomy-supportive conditions universal? Contrasting results among Indians and Americans |
| title_fullStr | Are the motivational effects of autonomy-supportive conditions universal? Contrasting results among Indians and Americans |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are the motivational effects of autonomy-supportive conditions universal? Contrasting results among Indians and Americans |
| title_short | Are the motivational effects of autonomy-supportive conditions universal? Contrasting results among Indians and Americans |
| title_sort | are the motivational effects of autonomy supportive conditions universal contrasting results among indians and americans |
| topic | Motivation DRNTU::Business::General Culture |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/90108 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/48370 |
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