Skip to main content
Search
Search
    Quick Search anywhere
    Quick search in Citations
Advanced Search
Skip main navigationClose Drawer MenuOpen Drawer Menu
Previous article
Next article
Original Article

The Structure of Need Fulfillment

Separating Need Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction on Between- and Within-Person Level

Published Online:April 29, 2016https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000326

Abstract

Abstract. Self-Determination Theory predicts that fulfillment of the three psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness predicts well-being. Fulfillment of these needs has long been considered a uni-dimensional construct consisting of need satisfaction and (reverse coded) need dissatisfaction. Recent research suggests that satisfaction and dissatisfaction should be separated. We tested whether need satisfaction and dissatisfaction can be distinguished psychometrically and whether they have unique effects in predicting well-being. We used data from a daily-diary study of 135 participants over the course of 42 days. A six factor solution (with one satisfaction and one dissatisfaction factor per need) for the Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs scale (BMPN) fitted the data best at both the between-person and the within-person level of analysis. We concluded that (a) the BMPN can be used to reliably assess satisfaction and dissatisfaction of the three needs specified by Self-Determination Theory; (b) need satisfaction and dissatisfaction can and should be separated psychometrically; (c) these findings hold at both the between-person and the within-person level of analysis; (d) all three needs predict well-being at the within-person level, but only competence and relatedness predict well-being at the between-between-person level; and (e) need satisfaction and dissatisfaction predict unique variance in well-being.

References

  • Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C. & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5, 323–370. doi: 10.1037/1089-2680.5.4.323 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Brose, A., Voelkle, M. C., Lövdén, M., Lindenberger, U. & Schmiedek, F. (2015). Differences in the between-person and within-person structures of affect are a matter of degree. European Journal of Personality, 29, 55–71. doi: 10.1002/per.1961 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Cattell, R. B. (1966). Handbook of multivariate experimental psychology. Chicago, IL: Rand McNally. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Chen, B., Vansteenkiste, M., Beyers, W., Boone, L., Deci, E. L., Van der Kaap-Deeder, J. & Verstuyf, J. (2015). Basic psychological need satisfaction, need frustration, and need strength across four cultures. Motivation and Emotion, 39, 216–236. doi: 10.1007/s11031-014-9450-1 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Deci, E. L. & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York, NY: Plenum. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Deci, E. L. & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “What” and “Why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227–268. doi: 10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • DeWall, C. N., Twenge, J. M., Gitter, S. A. & Baumeister, R. F. (2009). It’s the thought that counts: The role of hostile cognition in shaping aggressive responses to social exclusion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96, 45–59. doi: 10.1037/a0013196 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Eid, M., Lischetzke, T. & Nussbeck, F. W. (2006). Structural equation models for multitrait-multimethod data. In M. EidE. DienerEds., Handbook of multimethod measurement in psychology (pp. 283–299). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Geldhof, G. J., Preacher, K. J. & Zyphur, M. J. (2014). Reliability estimation in a multilevel confirmatory factor analysis framework. Psychological Methods, 19, 72–91. doi: 10.1037/a0032138 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Hamaker, E. L. (2012). Why researchers should think “within-person”. A paradigmatic rationale. In M. R. MehlT. S. ConnerEds., Handbook of research methods for studying daily life (pp. 43–61). New York, NY: Guilford Press. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Molenaar, P. C. M. (2004). A manifesto on psychology as idiographic science: Bringing the person back into scientific psychology, this time forever. Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research & Perspective, 2, 201–218. doi: 10.1207/s15366359mea0204_1 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Neubauer, A. B. & Voss, A. (2016). Validation and revision of a German version of the Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs Scale. Journal of Individual Differences, 37, 56–72. First citation in articleLink, Google Scholar

  • Reis, H. T., Sheldon, K. M., Gable, S. L., Roscoe, J. & Ryan, R. M. (2000). Daily well-being: The role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 419–435. doi: 10.1177/0146167200266002 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Ryan, R. M. & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. The American Psychologist, 55, 68–78. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Schönbrodt, F. D. & Perugini, M. (2013). At what sample size do correlations stabilize? Journal of Research in Personality, 47, 609–612. doi: 10.1016/j.jrp. 2013.05.009 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Sheldon, K. M. (2011). Integrating behavioral-motive and experiential-requirement perspectives on psychological needs: A two process model. Psychological Review, 118, 552–569. doi: 10.1037/a0024758 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Sheldon, K. M., Abad, N. & Hinsch, C. (2011). A two-process view of Facebook use and relatedness need-satisfaction: Disconnection drives use, and connection rewards it. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 100, 766–775. doi: 10.1037/a0022407 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Sheldon, K. M. & Filak, V. (2008). Manipulating autonomy, competence, and relatedness support in a game-learning context: New evidence that all three needs matter. The British Journal of Social Psychology, 47, 267–283. doi: 10.1348/014466607X238797 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Sheldon, K. M. & Gunz, A. (2009). Psychological needs as basic motives, not just experiential requirements. Journal of Personality, 77, 1467–1492. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2009.00589.x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Sheldon, K. M. & Hilpert, J. C. (2012). The balanced measure of psychological needs (BMPN) scale: An alternative domain general measure of need satisfaction. Motivation and Emotion, 36, 439–451. doi: 10.1007/s11031-012-9279-4 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Shrout, P. E. & Lane, S. P. (2012). Psychometrics. In M. R. MehlT. S. ConnerEds., Handbook of research methods for studying daily life (pp. 302–320). New York, NY: Guilford Press. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Steyer, R., Schwenkmezger, P., Notz, P. & Eid, M. (1997). Der mehrdimensionale Befindlichkeitsfragebogen (MDBF), [The multidimensional mood questionnaire (MDMQ)]. Göttingen, Germany: Hogrefe. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Taylor, I. M. & Stebbings, J. (2012). Disentangling within-person changes and individual differences among fundamental need satisfaction, attainment of acquisitive desires, and psychological health. Journal of Research in Personality, 46, 623–626. doi: 10.1016/j.jrp.2012.06.002 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Vansteenkiste, M., Lens, W., Soenens, B. & Luyckx, K. (2006). Autonomy and relatedness among Chinese sojourners and applicants: Conflictual or independent predictors of well-being and adjustment? Motivation and Emotion, 30, 273–282. doi: 10.1007/s11031-006-9041-x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Voelkle, M. C., Brose, A., Schmiedek, F. & Lindenberger, U. (2014). Toward a unified framework for the study of between-person and within-person structures: Building a bridge between two research paradigms. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 49, 193–213. doi: 10.1080/00273171.2014.889593 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Watson, D., Clark, L. A. & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 1063–1070. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.54.6.1063 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Wilhelm, P. & Schoebi, D. (2007). Assessing mood in daily life. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 23, 258–267. doi: 10.1027/1015-5759.23.4.258 First citation in articleLink, Google Scholar