Control of experience and self-determination theory
Does self-determination support people’s ability to intentionally shape their own experience?
This idea asks whether autonomy, competence, and relatedness influence the ability to evoke, sustain, or shift particular emotions, attentional states, or motivational states.
Possible study designs:
- Give participants autonomy-supportive versus controlling instructions for emotion generation or regulation.
- Test whether perceived autonomy improves the ability to feel specific target emotions.
- Compare effortful control with skillful, values-aligned self-regulation.
Key risks:
- “Control” can imply suppression or force, which may conflict with autonomy.
- Emotion regulation success depends on context, goals, and measurement.
Related ideas: