title: Motivation in later life: theory and assessment.
abstract: A framework that has been found useful in research on young adults, Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory [1, 2], is suggested as a promising direction for research on motivation in later life. The theory proposes the existence of four types of motivation (intrinsic, self-determined extrinsic, nonself-determined extrinsic, and amotivation) which are assumed to have varying consequences for adaptation and well-being. A previously published French measure of motivational styles which is known to be reliable and valid was translated into English and was tested on seventy-seven nursing home residents (aged 60 to 98 years). It was found that the four motivational styles can be reliably measured; that the intercorrelations between the motivational styles are consistent with theoretical predictions; and that the four types of motivation are related to other important aspects of the lives of elderly people in a theoretically meaningful manner. Suggestions are made for further research using self-determination theory and the present scales.
authors.affiliation: University of Quebec at Montreal.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Vallerand
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010552:Personality Assessment