Perceived locus of causality and internalization: Examining reasons for acting in two domains
Ryan and Connell propose that perceptions of why people act fall along a continuum of autonomy with identifiable levels, and model perceived locus of causality using children's self-reported reasons. In the first project, reasons for achievement-related behaviour fell into four types, external, introjected, identified and intrinsic, forming an ordered pattern across four samples in which neighbouring types correlated more strongly than distant ones; the types were then related to existing locus-of-causality measures and to motivation. The second project used three reason types, external, introjected and identified, for prosocial behaviour and related them to empathy, moral judgement and positive interpersonal relatedness.
Ryan and Connell propose that perceptions of why people act fall along a continuum of autonomy with identifiable levels, and model perceived locus of causality using children's self-reported reasons. In the first project, reasons for achievement-related behaviour fell into four types, external, introjected, identified and intrinsic, forming an ordered pattern across four samples in which neighbouring types correlated more strongly than distant ones; the types were then related to existing locus-of-causality measures and to motivation. The second project used three reason types, external, introjected and identified, for prosocial behaviour and related them to empathy, moral judgement and positive interpersonal relatedness.
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Ryan, R. M., & Connell, J. P. (1989). Perceived locus of causality and internalization: Examining reasons for acting in two domains. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(5), 749-761. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.57.5.749 https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.5.749