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Psychology
USA
2026

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Best Scientists

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164
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Psychology

D-Index
164
Citations
492593
World Ranking
46
National Ranking
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Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Psychology in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Psychology in United States Leader Award
  • 1977 - Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA)

Overview

Edward L. Deci is affiliated with the University of Rochester in the United States. Their research mainly focuses on the field of psychology, with particular emphasis on social psychology, organizational behavior and human resource management, applied psychology, clinical psychology, and experimental and cognitive psychology.

The main topics covered in their work include:

  • Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
  • Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
  • Behavioral Health and Interventions
  • Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
  • Youth Development and Social Support
  • Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
  • Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies

Frequent publication venues for Edward L. Deci include:

  • Motivation Science
  • Contemporary Educational Psychology
  • Health Psychology Review
  • Journal of Theoretical Social Psychology
  • Social Development

Some of the recent papers associated with or relevant to their research are:

  • Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions, 2020, Contemporary Educational Psychology
  • A meta-analysis of self-determination theory-informed intervention studies in the health domain: effects on motivation, health behavior, physical, and psychological health, 2020, Health Psychology Review
  • Building a science of motivated persons: Self-determination theory's empirical approach to human experience and the regulation of behavior, 2021, Motivation Science
  • Self-Determination Theory and Its Relation to Organizations, 2020, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology
  • Mindfulness buffers the adverse impact of need frustration on employee outcomes: A self-determination theory perspective, 2021, Journal of Theoretical Social Psychology

Edward L. Deci has collaborated frequently with several researchers including:

  • Richard M. Ryan
  • Geoffrey C. Williams
  • Anja H. Olafsen
  • Hallgeir Halvari
  • Thuy-vy Thi Nguyen

In recognition of their contributions to the field, Edward L. Deci was awarded the title of Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1977.

Best Publications

  • Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior

    Edward L. Deci;Richard M. Ryan

  • Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being.

    Richard M. Ryan;Edward L. Deci

  • The "What" and "Why" of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior

    Edward L. Deci;Richard M. Ryan

  • Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions.

    Richard M. Ryan;Edward L. Deci

  • Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior

    Karen A. Miller;Edward L. Deci;Richard M. Ryan

  • Self‐determination theory and work motivation

    Marylène Gagné;Edward L. Deci

  • On Happiness and Human Potentials: A Review of Research on Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being

    Richard M. Ryan;Edward L. Deci

  • Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development, and Wellness

    Richard M. Ryan;Edward L. Deci

  • A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation.

    Edward L. Deci;Richard Koestner;Richard M. Ryan

  • Self-Determination Theory: A Macrotheory of Human Motivation, Development and Health.

    Edward L. Deci;Richard M. Ryan

  • Handbook of Self-Determination Research

    Edward L. Deci;Richard M. Ryan

  • Effects of Externally Mediated Rewards on Intrinsic Motivation.

    Edward L. Deci

  • The general causality orientations scale: Self-determination in personality

    Edward L. Deci;Richard M. Ryan

  • Overview of self-determination theory: An organismic-dialectical perspective.

    Richard M. Ryan;Edward L. Deci

  • A motivational approach to self: integration in personality.

    Edward L. Deci;Richard M. Ryan

  • The support of autonomy and the control of behavior.

    Edward L. Deci;Richard M. Ryan

  • Facilitating Optimal Motivation and Psychological Well- Being Across Life's Domains

    Edward L. Deci;Richard Michael Ryan

  • Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions

    Richard M. Ryan;Edward L. Deci

  • Facilitating internalization: the self-determination theory perspective.

    Edward L. Deci;Haleh Eghrari;Brian C. Patrick;Dean R. Leone

  • Self-determination in a work organization.

    Edward L. Deci;James P. Connell;Richard M. Ryan

  • Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation

    Richard M. Ryan;Edward L. Deci

Frequent Co-Authors

Richard M. Ryan
Richard M. Ryan Australian Catholic University
Geoffrey C. Williams
Geoffrey C. Williams University of Rochester
Maarten Vansteenkiste
Maarten Vansteenkiste Ghent University
Marylène Gagné
Marylène Gagné Curtin University
Kennon M. Sheldon
Kennon M. Sheldon University of Missouri
Bart Soenens
Bart Soenens Ghent University
Richard Koestner
Richard Koestner McGill University
Wendy S. Grolnick
Wendy S. Grolnick Clark University
Willy Lens
Willy Lens KU Leuven
Robert J. Vallerand
Robert J. Vallerand University of Quebec at Montreal

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