Take the free Self-Determination Theory motivation assessment online. Discover your autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs and how well your work satisfies them. 36 questions, instant results.
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Self-Determination Theory (SDT), developed by psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, is one of the most influential and empirically supported theories of human motivation. It identifies three universal psychological needs — autonomy, competence, and relatedness — whose satisfaction predicts intrinsic motivation, well-being, and sustained performance.
Autonomy is the need to feel that your actions are self-directed and aligned with your values. Competence is the need to feel effective and capable in your activities. Relatedness is the need to feel meaningfully connected to others. When all three are met, people experience genuine, lasting motivation. When they are thwarted, motivation deteriorates into compliance or disengagement.
JobCannon's 36-question SDT Motivation Profile measures how well your current work and life context satisfies each of these three core needs — and identifies which specific need-thwarting factors are undermining your motivation and energy.
36 science-backed questions. 8 min of your time. Instant results — no signup required for your first test.
Start the SDT Motivation Profile TestSDT is a macro-theory of human motivation developed by Deci and Ryan since the 1970s. It distinguishes between intrinsic motivation (driven by genuine interest and values) and extrinsic motivation (driven by rewards or pressure), and identifies the three basic psychological needs — autonomy, competence, relatedness — that support intrinsic motivation.
SDT research shows motivation erodes when core needs go unmet. A micromanaging environment thwarts autonomy. Repetitive tasks without growth thwart competence. Isolation or poor team dynamics thwart relatedness. Identifying which need is blocked is the first step to restoring motivation.
Unlike Maslow's hierarchy or simple reward-punishment models, SDT is supported by decades of experimental research across cultures. It distinguishes between types of motivation (not just amounts), explaining why some rewards improve performance while others undermine it.
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