News

Huffington Post: Hemingway, Thoreau, Jefferson and the Virtues of a Good Long Walk

August 9, 2013 by Shannon

August 9th 2013. “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...

Huffington Post: Who is Driving Your Health and Wellness

July 10, 2013 by Shannon

July 10th 2013. “Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, professors at the University of Rochester and developers of Self-Determination Theory, the most respected theory of human motivation, have shown that thriving results from satisfying three motivational drives: the desire to be autonomous: to make choices that are true to one’s core, not imposed by others or...

Rochester Business Journal: Job Satisfaction Often Trumps a Hefty Paycheck

July 5, 2013 by Shannon

July 5th 2013. “Edward Deci, professor of psychology and Gowen Professor in the Social Sciences at the University of Rochester, says employees need to feel competent, connected to others and able to exercise autonomy on the job. “If employers allow their employees to feel competent, related and autonomous, they will have a set of...

YouTube: Highlights of the Opening Remarks from the 5th Conference on Self-Determination Theory

July 1, 2013 by Shannon

July 1st 2013. Post on YouTube by The University of Rochester https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4E10e8zIkw

PRESS RELEASE: More than 500 Psychologists Explore Human Motivation During International Conference in Rochester, June 27 to 30

June 14, 2013 by Shannon

June 6th 2013. Hundreds of psychologists from 38 countries will gather in Rochester to share the latest scientific insights into the mysteries of human motivation during the Conference on Self-Determination Theory, June 27 to 30. Developed by University of Rochester experimental psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan in 1985, self-determination theory today is a leading theory...

Scientific America: How to Be a Better Friend

April 11, 2013 by Shannon

April 11th 2013. “When a pal is struggling, it can be awfully tempting to grab him by the scruff of his neck and just tell him exactly what he should do. After all, isn’t giving good advice part of being a good friend? Perhaps not, according to researchers who study self-determination. Edward Deci, a psychology...

Huffington Post: NFL Draft Preparation: Put Your Money Where Your Mindset Is

March 3, 2013 by Shannon

March 3rd 2013. Nick Winkelman, the Director of Training Systems and Education at Athletes’ Performance’s Phoenix facility, has a mission to make his NFL hopefuls prepared for “the immensity of the moment.” He and his colleagues employ training techniques based on Self Determination Theory. Developed by Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan at the University...