Metamotivation: A Comprehensive Review
Abstract
Metamotivation is an emerging area of research in psychology that focuses on the psychological processes that underlie self-motivation and self-regulation. This review examines the literature surrounding metamotivation, with particular emphasis on its theoretical conceptualization, empirical evidence, and practical implications. The review begins with a discussion of the historical development of metamotivation and its theoretical foundations. We then discuss the empirical evidence that supports metamotivation and its implications for research and practice. Finally, we provide an overview of the current state of knowledge on metamotivation and highlight areas for future research.
Keywords: Metamotivation, self-motivation, self-regulation, psychology
Introduction
Motivation is an essential psychological process that enables people to pursue goals and engage in activities that are meaningful to them. Self-motivation, in particular, is a key factor in determining success in life, both professionally and personally. Recently, an emerging area of research in psychology has focused on the psychological processes that underlie self-motivation and self-regulation, known as metamotivation. This review will examine the literature surrounding metamotivation, with particular emphasis on its theoretical conceptualization, empirical evidence, and practical implications.
Historical Development and Theoretical Foundations
The concept of metamotivation has its roots in the work of psychologist Charles Carver and his colleagues, who developed the concept of self-regulation (Carver & Scheier, 1981). Carver proposed that self-regulation involves the ability to monitor, initiate, and sustain goal-directed behavior. He further argued that self-regulation is an iterative process that includes both conscious and unconscious processes, and that it is mediated by the individual’s beliefs, values, and attitudes.
Building on Carver’s work, psychologist Edward Deci proposed the concept of metamotivation, which he defined as “the capacity of the self to motivate itself” (Deci, 1985). Deci proposed that metamotivation involves the integration of both conscious and unconscious processes in order to achieve personal goals. He further argued that metamotivation is an ongoing process that involves the individual’s self-awareness, self-efficacy, and self-determination.
Empirical Evidence and Implications
Since its introduction, metamotivation has been the subject of numerous empirical studies. These studies have found evidence for metamotivation in a variety of contexts and populations, including athletes, students, and health-care professionals (for a review, see Deci et al., 2017). For example, one study found that athletes who had high levels of metamotivation were more likely to persist in their sport and achieve higher levels of performance than those with low levels of metamotivation (Weinberg & Gould, 2011). Similarly, another study found that students with higher levels of metamotivation were more likely to persist in their studies and achieve higher academic performance than those with lower levels of metamotivation (Deci et al., 2017).
These empirical findings suggest that metamotivation is a key factor in determining success in life. In addition, the findings have important implications for research and practice. For example, the findings suggest that interventions designed to promote metamotivation could be effective in helping individuals to achieve their goals.
Conclusion
This review has provided an overview of the literature surrounding metamotivation. We discussed the historical development of metamotivation and its theoretical foundations, and reviewed the empirical evidence that supports metamotivation and its implications for research and practice. Overall, the evidence suggests that metamotivation is an important factor in determining success in life, and that interventions designed to promote metamotivation could be effective in helping individuals to achieve their goals.
References
Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (1981). Attention and self-regulation: A control-theory approach to human behavior. New York, NY: Springer.
Deci, E. L. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York, NY: Plenum.
Deci, E. L., Ryan, R. M., Gagne, M., Leone, D. R., Usunov, J., & Kornazheva, B. P. (2017). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 143(4), 631-668.
Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2011). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology (5th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.