Bio
Richard Ryan, Ph.D., is a Professor at the Institute for Positive Psychology and Education at the Australian Catholic University, a Distinguished Professor in the College of Education at Ewha Womans University, a Professor Emeritus in Psychology at the University of Rochester, and a Visiting Professor at Imperial College London.
Ryan is a clinical psychologist and co-developer of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), one of leading theories of human motivation. With over 500 scientific papers and books in the areas of human motivation, personality, and psychological well-being, Ryan is among the 'World's Top 25 Scientists' and the most cited and influential researcher in psychology and social sciences today. Reflective of Ryan's influence internationally, he has been recognized as one of the eminent psychologists of the modern era, and has been acknowledged by The Australian as one of Australia's top researchers listing him on the Lifetime Achievers Leaderboard.
Ryan has lectured in more than 100 universities worldwide, and consulted with numerous organizations, schools, clinics, and health-care initiatives. Recipient of distinguished career awards from multiple societies for his contributions to the field on motivation, personal meaning, and self and identity, Ryan is also a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the American Educational Research Association, and an Honorary Member of the German Psychological Society (DGP). He has also been a James McKeen Cattell and Leverhulme Fellow, and a visiting scientist at the National Institute of Education in Singapore, the University of Bath, UK, and the Max Planck Institute, Berlin.
Abstract
Motivation, Learning, and Flourishing:
Self-Determination Theory Perspectives on Facilitating Self-Development in Schools
The quality of students' engagement in school and in society, as well as the development of their capabilities and psychological health, are strongly influenced by parents, teachers, and the aims and policies of their schools. These influences can support or thwart the satisfaction of youth's basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness that are essential to their positive motivation and well-being. In this talk Professor Ryan will discuss research and observations derived from self-determination theory (SDT) on how parents, teachers and policy-makers can effectively nurture or promote more engagement and learning in school, higher quality relationships, and more prosocial attitudes, among other topics. He will also discuss how SDT-based interventions can successfully foster more autonomy supportive teaching and contribute to self-development and resilience in students. Finally he will argue that many common practices in schools that are intended to motivate students and prepare them for adult roles are outdated and too narrowly focused on achievement outcomes, creating a need to think more creatively about schools as contexts for healthy human development.
Richard M. Ryan is a clinical psychologist and co-developer of Self-Determination Theory, an internationally researched perspective that has been applied in areas such as child development, education, work, relationships, medicine, sport, and cross-cultural psychology. Author of more than 500 papers and books, Ryan is the most cited psychologist active today. He has given addresses in over 100 universities worldwide, and received several distinguished career awards, Dr. Ryan is currently Professor at the Institute for Positive Psychology and Education at Australian Catholic University, and Distinguished Professor at Ewha Womans University.