Self-As-Agent: The World Is What We Make of It

Abstract

For 100+ years, the self has been understood and studied in two ways—the self as object (e.g., self-concept) and the self as action (e.g., agentic self). This chapter focuses on the latter—the self-as-agent, and it uses a self-determination theory framework to do so. The goal of the chapter is to identify the multiple ways in which the self-as-agent creates a motivationally supportive environment for itself (i.e., “The world is what we make it.”). The agentic self is fueled by psychological need satisfaction, and it uses this motivational energy to create need-supportive environmental surroundings that can catalyze personal growth and flourishing. To explain what people psychologically “need,” I overview the neuroscience of psychological need satisfaction. The chapter also explains three ways the agentic self generates need-supportive surroundings: Receive autonomy support; recruit autonomy support; and give autonomy support. By interacting with the surrounding environment in these ways, the agentic self creates the conditions to be self-determining. The take-home message is this: The self-as-action needs a garden to grow in (autonomy support), but sometimes it needs to create that garden for itself (agentic engagement).