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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: The present studies examined whether implicit or explicit autonomy dispositions moderate the relationship between felt autonomy and well-being.
METHOD: Study 1 (N = 187 undergraduate students) presents an initial test of the moderator hypothesis by predicting flow experience from the interaction of autonomy need-satisfaction and autonomy dispositions. Study 2 (N = 127 physically inactive persons) used vignettes involving an autonomy (un)supportive coach to test a moderated mediation model in which perceived coach autonomy-support leads to well-being through basic need satisfaction. Again, the effects of need satisfaction on well-being were hypothesized to be moderated by an implicit autonomy disposition.
RESULTS: Study 1 showed that individuals with a strong implicit autonomy (but not power or achievement) motive disposition derived more flow experience from felt autonomy than individuals with a weak implicit autonomy disposition. Study 2 revealed that perceived autonomy-support from sport coaches which we experimentally induced with a vignette method, leads to autonomy-satisfaction, which in turn has positive effects on well-being. This indirect effect held at high and average but not low implicit autonomy disposition.
CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the degree to which people benefit from autonomy need-satisfaction depends on their implicit disposition towards autonomy.
Language: en |