Generation Y and the attitude of self-determination. An exploratory study

Abstract

In this article, we will look at self-determination, according to its three sub-dimensions (autonomy, competence, relatedness), concerning Generation Y. Deci and Ryan (2000) suggest that self-determination is associated with the satisfaction of these three basic needs. This exploratory study consisted in distributing an online questionnaire, with the help of the National Association of Human Resources Directors (ANDRH) (on the surveymonkey.com website), to 10,315 young people in the education system. 2,915 responses were received and evaluated. The target population is composed of young people in the process of professional training, integrated into training organizations (universities, engineering schools, business schools, BTS, BEP, and CAP). An analysis of the data was conducted with SPSS. We performed an exploratory factor analysis of type PCA. This analysis shows that the respondents seem to favor an intrinsic mode of motivation oriented toward the valorization of social relations and autonomy. However, the perceived competences result in a rather pessimistic assessment.