Cody R DeHaan

Immersyve Inc.

Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is a broad theory of psychological growth and wellness that has revolutionized how we think about human motivation and the driving forces behind personality development. SDT focuses on people’s basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness and how social environments that support these needs fos...

We integrate John Rawls’ concept of primary goods with self-determination theory, to examine the links between people’s perceptions of primary goods (i.e., views of society as providing access to the necessities of a meaningful life), basic psychological needs, and well-being. In Study 1 (N = 762, countries = Australia, the United States, South Afr...

Considerable research in aging has dealt with elderly people’s health, the main purposes of which are to prevent chronic diseases and increase functional ability. However, psychological well-being is also important for the elderly, so it is crucial to identify psychological factors that would not only help manage health problems in these individual...

We integrate Rawls’ (1971/2009, 1993, 2001) concept of primary goods with self-determination theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2017), to examine the link between people’s perceptions of primary goods (i.e., views of society as just and fair), basic psychological need satisfaction, and well-being. In Study 1 (N=762, countries = Australia, the United States,...

People might not be able or willing to accurately report how much they sexually desire their romantic partners due to concerns over the well-being of one’s relationship or impression management. This research assessed the predictive validity of a sexual desire implicit association task. First, a pilot study determined the psychometrically optimal l...

Previous studies have identified myriad negative consequences of internalized homophobia, or self-directed antigay prejudice, but few can speak to its developmental antecedents. This work explored whether parenting styles might affect the development of internalized homophobia and negative psychological health outcomes in sexual minority individual...

Civic engagement may benefit individuals who engage in it, yet empirical evidence is lacking. We examined whether civic engagement was associated with well-being in a seven-day daily diary study of 276 college students. Based on self-determination theory, we hypothesized that satisfaction of basic psychological needs mediates the link between civic...

Research on the energizing effects of autonomous self-regulation and the depleting effects of self-control suggest that they are tapping into the same phenomenon: the energy available to, and allocated by, the self. Based on self-determination theory, we distinguish two forms of self-regulation: self-controlling regulation which is energy draining...

Research and theory concerning the nature and sources of well-being has been undertaken through varied approaches. Two such approaches are the capability approach and self-determination theory (SDT), both of which have postulated specific factors deemed necessary for human well-being and flourishing. In two studies we examine the relations between...

Engaged citizens help improve society, increase community vitality, and solve social problems (Levine, 2013). Civic engagement may also benefit health and well-being. Particularly as youth transition to adulthood, civic engagement can optimize thriving by providing opportunities for meaningful agentic experiences and identity exploration (Flanagan...

Individuals may be losing touch with nature as their contact with it decreases worldwide. Although the consequences for people's personal well-being outcomes are becoming well documented, there is almost no research examining the social correlates of contact with nature. This article used a large nationally representative sample to link objective (...

Most of the focus within the ostracism literature concerns the negative effects on the ostracized and how they cope following ostracism. Research is now beginning to illuminate negative psychological effects for ostracizers, yet no studies to date have examined their coping responses. This study continues this line of inquiry focusing on experience...

Motivational processes are responsible for initiating and directing human activity; they energize behavior, generate and increase task engagement, and direct actions toward certain ends or goals. They are also inextricably linked with relational experiences. People bring their goals, values, hopes, and past regulatory experiences to bear on various...

Questions concerning the nature of happiness and wellness are age-old, as are the ways in which people strive to achieve them. Two traditions dominate theorizing about pathways to happiness and the good life. The hedonic tradition focuses on happiness as a desired subjective outcome, with interest in variables predicting it. The eudaimonic traditio...

Much research has documented the harmful psychological effects of being ostracized, but research has yet to determine whether compliance with ostracizing other people is psychologically costly. We conducted two studies guided by self-determination theory to explore this question, using a paradigm that borrows from both ostracism research and Milgra...

When individuals grow up with autonomy-thwarting parents, they may be prevented from exploring internally endorsed values and identities and as a result shut out aspects of the self perceived to be unacceptable. Given the stigmatization of homosexuality, individuals perceiving low autonomy support from parents may be especially motivated to conceal...

Three studies examined the effects of motivation attributed to helpers on recipient reactions. Participants read and responded to scenarios depicting various helping events, in which indicators of helpers having autonomous or controlled (introjected) motivations were embedded. Results showed that recipients experienced more gratitude toward autonom...