A Quantitative Analysis Of Student Motivation And Engagement Based On Self-Determination Theory In Higher Education

Abstract

Motivation remains a key factor in shaping students' academic paths in higher education. Based on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study explored how intrinsic psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness—interact with behavioral, cognitive, and emotional aspects of engagement among 300 students. Using a quantitative approach, the researchers used validated survey tools and applied Pearson correlation, ANOVA, and t-tests to analyze the data. The results showed significant positive relationships: autonomy linked to behavioral engagement, competence to cognitive engagement, and relatedness to emotional engagement. These findings suggest that satisfying students' psychological needs promotes different types of academic engagement. Additionally, notable age-related differences emerged in cognitive engagement and competence, where younger students (18–20 years old) demonstrated higher cognitive involvement, while older students (21–23 years old) showed greater emotional engagement and relatedness. Regarding gender, although behavioral engagement and autonomy did not differ between males and females, cognitive engagement and competence, along with emotional engagement and relatedness, varied significantly, with female students reporting higher levels of involvement. These results underscore the importance of creating autonomy-supportive environments, enhancing students’ sense of competence, and cultivating meaningful peer and teacher relationships. Implications for educational practice include designing strategies tailored to age and gender differences to boost engagement, motivation, and academic achievement. The findings advance understanding of how motivation appears across different demographic groups and lay the groundwork for future efforts to enhance student learning experiences in higher education.