The theory of self-determination and its link to the theory of goal setting

Self-determination, as an important concept derived from the humanistic approach, plays an important role in psychological well-being. That what internal or external factors or motivations reinforce or inhibit self-determination is an aspect favored by psychologists in different fields. The present study, giving importance to self-determination as a meta-theory, adopts an analytical approach to first examine the theories derived from it, such as the theory of basic needs, cognitive evaluation, organismic integration, and causal orientation, and then explains its external examples such as the emergence of obedient, projective and independence-oriented personality type through looking at deterrent or controlling social factors. On the other hand, considering the qualitative welfare level of goals and motivations, related to self-determination, the study takes into account the two main tendencies of goal setting in individuals, namely the orientation to mastery and to performance, and the degree of their congruence with the features of self-determination. In this analogy, the orientation to mastery in individuals calls more for self-determination than the orientation to performance because mastery helps in developing individual ability, strengthening internal and autonomous motivations, and developing a healthy relationship in a social context. Finally, the practical-consultative capacity of self-determination theory in discovering the external controlling factors that cause psychological stress in the individual has been pointed out.