A Critical Reappraisal of Self-Determination Theory: From Theoretical Promises to Real-World Challenges
In recent years, theories such as Self-Determination Theory (SDT) have emerged as key frameworks for understanding human motivation. Rooted in concepts like autonomy, competence, and relatedness, these theories have opened up new horizons for designing educational, organizational, and social environments—settings that aim to cultivate intrinsic motivation and support human flourishing.
However, as these theories are increasingly implemented in real and complex contexts, new questions and concerns begin to surface. Do these concepts truly unfold in practice as they are promised in theoretical discourse? Or do they become diluted, misinterpreted, or even misused during implementation?
Participation—or a Performance of Participation?
Take, for instance, the concept of participation. In theory, it is a central pillar of intrinsic motivation, where individuals feel they have a genuine voice in decision-making and the shaping of collective goals. But in practice, is this always the case? In many organizations and institutions, what appears to be participation may, in fact, be symbolic. Individuals may seem to share in collective success, while their actual role in decision-making remains minimal or tokenistic. Over time, this hidden imbalance can foster disengagement, demotivation, or a sense of inefficacy.
Silent Exclusion or the Suppression of Dissenting Voices?
Another dimension worth rethinking is how individuals are excluded or sidelined in group settings. Sometimes, responses to mistakes, disagreements, or even alternative perspectives happen abruptly and opaquely, rather than through constructive, growth-oriented approaches. Such dynamics may suppress innovation, silence divergent voices, and stall collective learning. The fear of being excluded or labeled may replace the freedom to act and speak openly.
Genuine Belonging—or Superficial Conformity?
A further challenge lies in how arbitrary standards and superficial values shape motivation. When success criteria lack clarity, when opportunities are unevenly distributed, and when symbolic markers are favored over genuine contributions, a performative culture may emerge. In such environments, people may gravitate toward surface-level adaptation and participation—not because they are truly engaged, but because it is safer and more socially rewarded.
Can the Promises of Motivation Survive in Such Contexts?
At a broader level, we must ask: Can environments that treat critical feedback with distrust, that respond defensively to open dialogue, or that distribute roles and resources with ambiguity or bias, truly nurture intrinsic motivation and enduring belonging? Or do they, in practice, foster a structural form of hypocrisy—one that gradually distorts the values it claims to promote?
A Step Toward Measuring Reality, Not Just Upholding Theory
Some of these concerns may be more relevant in certain environments than others. To understand their scope, we need careful, comparative, and observational research. But more urgently, we need tools and mechanisms to assess and audit the realities of participation:
How authentic are people’s contributions?
How transparent are decision-making processes?
How fairly are opportunities distributed?
To what extent can feedback and difference of opinion be expressed safely?
From Theory to Structural Critique
To question theories like Self-Determination Theory is not to reject them. Rather, it is an invitation to uncover their blind spots, to reflect on the obstacles to their realization, and to explore ways to deepen and refine them. If we seek a richer understanding of human motivation, we must go beyond behavioral recommendations or policy checklists. We must examine the underlying structures, power dynamics, hidden fears, and performative routines that often shape human engagement from behind the scenes.
This article is an invitation to begin that critical discourse—a call to explore the less-visible dimensions and latent forces embedded in systems of human motivation and development
