Supporting autonomy and satisfying basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) fosters intrinsic motivation, which in turn enhances subjective vitality and feelings of energy.

Sources and limits

Citation roles describe each study's relationship to this claim. Their counts do not measure evidence strength. This page reuses the published finding; it adds no new synthesis.

1. [1] Supports · 2018

   How supportive coaches affect young athletes' well-being

   The study only included young male football players, meaning the findings may not apply to female athletes, older age groups, or players in other sports. Because the researchers relied entirely on self-reported questionnaires, the study measures the players' perceptions of autonomy support rather than the coaches' actual objective behaviors. Additionally, the study did not measure other negative social environmental factors, such as controlling coaching styles, which could also influence a player's long-term well-being.

   Original paper

2. [2] Supports · 2021

   How did remote learning during COVID-19 affect student motivation?

   To begin with, because the researchers compared different cohorts of students rather than tracking the same individuals over time, they cannot prove that the pandemic itself directly caused these psychological shifts. Additionally, the sample consisted largely of students majoring in education, the social sciences, or humanities, meaning these findings might not apply to other fields like engineering or natural sciences. Finally, the study only captured the initial months of forced remote learning, so it does not show how students' motivation or well-being might have changed as they adapted to online courses over a longer period.

   Original paper

Review and correction history

No recorded updates or reviewed changes for this claim yet. Its current sources are shown above.