Reciprocal Path Model of Autonomous Motivation and Motivational Regulation: Socially Shared Regulation in Intellectual Group Activities

Self- and social regulation are widely expected to increase autonomous motivation; however, few empirical studies have examined the reciprocal influences of autonomous motivation and motivational regulation. This study examined the reciprocal path model between autonomous motivation and three modes of motivational regulation (self-, co-, and socially shared regulation) in intellectual group activities by comparing university students with working adults. The participants were 181 university students and 295 working adults who completed an online questionnaire consisting of psychological measurements. With respect to autonomous motivation and the three modes of motivational regulation, a bidirectional model of university students and working adults was established and statistically analyzed on the basis of two time points of data, one month apart (T1 and T2). The hypothesized path model had a good fit through a multi-group structural equation modeling analysis. Autonomous motivation at T1 positively predicted socially shared regulation, co-regulation, and self-regulation at T2, one month later, for both groups. However, the three modes of regulation did not positively or significantly predict autonomous motivation in either group. Considering the reciprocal influences of autonomous motivation and motivational regulation, we discuss the necessity of implementing these practices in universities and workplaces.