News

Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation

January 1, 2014 by Shannon

Authored by Edward Deci with Richard Flaste. The best way to motivate people—at school, at work, or at home—is to support their sense of autonomy. Explaining the reasons why a task is important and then allowing as much personal freedom as possible in carrying out the task will stimulate interest and commitment, and is a much more effective approach than the standard system of reward and punishment. We are all inherently interested in the world, argues Deci, so why not nurture that interest in each other? Instead of asking, "How can I motivate people?" we should be asking, "How can I create the conditions within which people will motivate themselves?"

Wired – Wellness & Prevention: Getting Social Without the Networking: Enhancing Relatedness

December 20, 2013 by Shannon

Self-Determination Theory noted in article about Relatedness without the use of Social Media.

Psychology Today: Meditation as Medicine: It’s Not What You Think

December 6, 2013 by Shannon

Kirk Brown and Richard Ryan quoted on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction... "Researchers at the University of Rochester, Kirk Brown and Richard Ryan, suggest that MBSR can be effective for those suffering from chronic illness and pain. They have also shown that MBSR can significantly improve positive well-being, and diminish cognitive and emotional disturbances in cancer patients."

Wired – Wellness and Prevention: Compelling Design is About Psychology, Not Technology

December 5, 2013 by Shannon

"So if a good gamified solution doesn’t have to look like a game, what does it have to have? I argue that it has to capture the psychology of games, the principles that capture people’s attention and keep them coming back for another experience. Games hook players by fulfilling their psychological needs. Self-determination theory describes what those needs are..."

RochesterHomepage.net: Put to the Test: Adults Sample Common Core

November 7, 2013 by Shannon

Richard Ryan meets with panel of parents "to discuss Common Core and it's impact on education."

The Huffington Post UK: It’s Simple, Easy And Free — And It Will Improve Your Health

October 8, 2013 by Shannon

Once again, Richard Ryan noted "Nature is fuel for the soul."

NY Times: The Accumulated Wisdom on Bribing Your Children

October 3, 2013 by Shannon

Ed Deci quoted in article about bribing children... 'Edward Deci, a psychology professor at the University of Rochester who falls firmly in the don’t-bribe camp, was not particularly fond of this idea. “Are you going to follow them around for the rest of their lives and pay them for learning every time there is learning to be done?” he said. “Presumably not. So the question is, what happens if they’ve been rewarded and then the rewards stop?”'

Huffington Post: What Would You Do With Ten Extra Years of Life

September 9, 2013 by Shannon

"University of Rochester Professor of Psychology, Dr. Edward Deci, says that people who tap into their own natural talents, interests and desires are more inclined to embrace whatever they do with enthusiasm, creativity and joy. He also points out that people who make things happen for themselves are less likely to be manipulated or used."

Hutchington News: Solution to many a problem: Take a walk

August 31, 2013 by Shannon

Richard Ryan quoted on nature and architecture... Research has also shown similar benefits to simply being around nature. One study showed that spending time in natural settings makes us more generous and more community-oriented, a conclusion that has "implications not only for city planning but also for indoor design and architecture," according to the study's co-author Richard Ryan, of the University of Rochester Medical Center