That’s because it exercises a level of autonomy that we crave.
Autonomy involves making independent decisions that align with personal values and goals instead of being coerced by external forces.
In psychology, autonomy is viewed as a fundamental human need.
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It is essential to individual well-being, motivation, and psychological health.
When we experience autonomy, we have a sense of psychological freedom, control, and choice.
Autonomous behavior is often studied in the context ofself-determination theory.
According to this theory, people have innatepsychological needsfor autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
When these needs are fulfilled, people experience greaterintrinsic motivation, self-esteem, andsubjective well-being.
This independence is vital in many ways.
To feel autonomous, we must feel that our preferences, behaviors, needs, and motivation are aligned.
This allows us to then feel that we are living our lives according to our own direction and interests.
The theory also suggests there are two primary forms of motivation:extrinsic and intrinsic.
Whereextrinsic motivationis focused on driving behavior through rewards and punishments,intrinsic motivationarises from within.
In other words, we engage in behaviors simply for the joy and satisfaction of doing them.
Both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation can play a part in autonomous behavior.
Examples of Autonomous Behavior
Takingsteps to pursue personal goalsis an example of autonomous behavior.
What Makes a Person Autonomous?
One influentialdevelopmental theorysuggests thatchildren develop feelings of autonomybetween the ages of 18 months and 3 years.
Kids that are encouraged and supported are more likely to emerge from this stage with a sense of autonomy.
A few other factors include:
Autonomy is something that people can possess in varying amounts.
Some of us may be highly independent, while others lie somewhere else on the continuum.
Individualism vs. Collectivism
While autonomy is also a human need, it is also a cultural construct.
Why Autonomy Is Important
Autonomy can be important in motivation, well-being, and overall life satisfaction.
Maintaining autonomy as people age can helppromote longevityand better self-rated health.
It is also associated with a decreasedrisk for depressionand cognitive decline as people age.
Legault L.The need for autonomy.
In: Zeigler-Hill V, Shackelford TK, eds.Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences.
