Author(s): HORII, D., KANEDA, H., MURAKI, Y., Institution: OSAKA ELECTRO-COMMUNICATION UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 1272

Introduction: Recent advances in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) have highlighted the critical role of basic psychological needs—competence, autonomy, and relatedness—in shaping human motivation and behavior. Within the context of physical activity, Deci and Ryans seminal work (2002) underscores the importance of these needs in fostering exercise motivation. Their findings suggest a significant correlation between the satisfaction of these needs and various types of motivation, ranging from amotivation to intrinsic motivation. Building on this foundation, the study aims to extend this understanding by exploring how these psychological needs influence exercise engagement, either directly or indirectly, through their effects on various motivational dimensions.
Method: A total of 223 College students (114 male and 109 female) participated in this study. Measures involved the use of scales for assessing the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, as well as various forms of motivational regulations (amotivation, external, introjected, identified, integrated, and intrinsic motivation). Causal mediation analysis was conducted to investigate the mediating role of motivational regulations in the relationship between psychological needs satisfaction and exercise behavior. The analysis calculated Average Causal Mediation Effects (ACME) and Average Direct Effects (ADE) for both genders, using statistical software R.
Results: For Male Students: The results indicate that autonomy and relatedness have both substantial mediating effects (ACME) and direct effects (ADE) on exercise motivation. Specifically, autonomy emerged as having a stronger direct influence on motivation compared to competence and relatedness. The statistical findings were as follows: for competence, ACME = 0.09 and ADE = 0.45; for autonomy, ACME = 0.14 and ADE = 0.50; and for relatedness, ACME = 0.19 and ADE = 0.21. For Female Students: The analysis showed that relatedness had a pronounced mediating effect on motivation, while autonomy and competence both exhibited significant direct effects on exercise behavior. Notably, relatedness had the highest ACME (0.59), underscoring its critical role in mediating exercise motivation through motivational regulations. The detailed outcomes were: for competence, ACME = 0.18 and ADE = 0.76; for autonomy, ACME = 0.24 and ADE = 0.87; and for relatedness, ACME = 0.59 and ADE = 0.30.
Discussion: For male students, the findings suggest a relatively even impact of psychological needs on motivation. In contrast, for female students, the significant role of relatedness as a mediator underscores the importance of social connections, suggesting that strategies to enhance exercise participation among women should focus on building community and support. Additionally, the direct effect of autonomy highlights the value of self-directedness in motivating exercise, indicating that allowing personal choice in exercise activities could be particularly motivating.