Self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985a) has recently been applied to the motivation behind daily activities in old age (Vallerand & O'Connor, 1989). According to this theory, a primary determinant of motivation is the degree of self-determination in the living environment: actual opportunities for self-determination are assumed to affect the experience of self-determination, which in turn affects motivation. This prediction was tested among 129 residents from 11 nursing homes. Both actual opportunities for autonomy and experienced autonomy were associated with motivational styles. Furthermore, the effects of the objective environment on motivation were mediated by perceptions of the environment. The results provide suggestive support for a causal sequence that has proven difficult to establish in previous research.
