Edward L. Deci's Book Why We Do What We Do Understanding Self-Motivation Term Paper

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Edward L. Deci's Book "Why We Do What We Do Understanding Self-Motivation"

Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation" by Edward L. Deci's

Edward L. Deci's book structures on the hypothesis of an American school of psychology called "Humanistic Psychology." The most significant of all the other advocates of this school was the philosopher and psychologist Abraham Maslow, who lived and died between 1908 and 1970. Abraham Maslow established the conception of "self-actualization," as a technological and scientific expression.

In this field the experiencing person is of most important interest. Humanistic psychology starts with the study of individuals in real-life state of affairs. According to Edward L. Deci, Humans are subjects, rather than mere objects, of study. The writer argues that the humanists challenge, cannot be replicated after early physics, in which the objects of study are "out there." The writer asserts that the person has got to be examined and described in terms of individual realization, which comprises subjective knowledge and how the individual recognizes and values himself or herself. The fundamental question that the writer has tackled with is, who am I? Individuals, as voyagers in life, have got to find out where they are and where they desire to go.

Self-Motivation

Fairly persuasively, this book informs us that control is, at all times, second class to autonomy. Edward L. Deci's central theory is that self-motivation, instead of outside motivation, is at the center of imagination, dependability, constructive manners, as well as long-lasting transformation. Furthermore, his theory also highlights that social backgrounds that encourage and establish individuals' apparent autonomy and supposed capability improve inherent motivation, at the same time the social backgrounds that weaken individuals' apparent autonomy and supposed capability weaken inherent motivation.

Edward L. Deci's preferred topics of investigation are autonomy, human choice, creativity, and self-actualization.

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He argues that the study of psychologically crippled people has directed to a crippled psychology, at the same time as the study of lower organisms has given way to an incomplete psychology lacking realization. The writer believes that psychologists ought to study nourishing and healthy individuals, persons who are creative and fully executing. Individuals that have a desire to push forward in life, to grow their potentialities and abilities. These self-actualizing propensities are of particular importance.

Edward L. Deci's Book "Why We Do What We Do Understanding Self-Motivation," runs through the conclusions in the psychology of autonomy and inherent motivation. These are the major subjects of research of the author. He has also two books to his name on this subject formerly.

Edward L. Deci initiates the book with the opinion that individuals have a conception that can be termed a "true self," and that all individuals have the desire to proceed in harmony with this "true self." These individuals have the desire to be autonomous more willingly than restricted. If these individuals proceed autonomously, they are full of life (self-motivated).

The writer asserts that if these individuals proceed autonomously, they in addition, admire and value others for the reason that the "true self" has the desire to be connected with others. Edward L. Deci presupposes that human beings are helpful and supportive characteristically, rather than competitive.

The "true self," conceptualized by Edward L. Deci certainly is a simulated structure, in other words it is a theory. Furthermore, albeit we suppose that there is such a "true self," in all the individuals, it is imaginable that there are individuals whose "true self" is competitive as well as individuals whose "true self" is supportive and helpful characteristically. A lot of individuals might plainly take pleasure in unguarded conflicts while other.....

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"Edward L Deci's Book Why We Do What We Do Understanding Self-Motivation", 28 October 2003, Accessed.20 May. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/edward-l-deci-book-understanding-self-motivation-156545