Paulina Rekasiute
This research project, titled "The Impact of Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Academic Motivation and Gender on Happiness Among College Students", explored how intrinsic and extrinsic academic motivation relate to happiness in college students, and whether gender plays a role. Addressing a gap in existing literature, it is one of the first studies to examine this topic in an Irish student population. Using validated psychological scales, data from 200 third-level students showed that intrinsically motivated students reported significantly higher happiness, while gender had no effect. Findings highlight the importance of fostering intrinsic motivation in education to support student well-being.
This project aimed to deepen understanding of how the type of students’ academic motivation shapes their subjective happiness, and whether this link differs by gender. Guided by Self-Determination Theory, I compared intrinsic (interest-driven) and extrinsic (reward-driven) motivation in a sample of 200 undergraduates at third-level institutions, making it the first study to examine these variables together in an Irish context.
The objectives of this research project were: 1) to examine the impact of motivation type on subjective happiness with validated psychometric scales; 2) to test gender as a potential moderator; 3) to provide baseline data for Irish higher-education research, where empirical work on the motivation-wellbeing link is limited; 4) to translate findings into recommendations for educators and student-support services. By achieving these goals, the project advances theoretical work on academic motivation, highlights the wellbeing dividend of nurturing intrinsic goals in higher education, and provides insight of how educational institutions can cultivate learning environments that help every learner flourish.
The project revealed a significant relationship between the type of academic motivation and students’ happiness: those who were predominantly intrinsically motivated reported significantly higher levels of subjective happiness than those driven by external rewards. In contrast, gender had no significant impact on happiness in this research study.
These findings supported the predictions based on Self-Determination Theory and emphasised the value of fostering autonomy, interest, and personal meaning in education.
An important insight was the lack of Irish-based research combining these variables, which highlighted how this project fills a notable gap in literature and offers a foundation for future work.
On a personal level, the process deepened my understanding of how psychological research is carried out, from ethics to data analysis and interpretation, and reinforced my commitment to a career focused on well-being, motivation, and mental health support.
Paulina Rekasiute is graduating soon with a BSc in Applied Psychology from the Institute of Art, Design + Technology (IADT). Focused on neuroscience, developmental, and clinical psychology, Paulina has enriched her studies through hands-on experience. She volunteered extensively with teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum, and completed a 4-month placement at a special needs school, specialising in severe or profound learning disabilities. Paulina finds fulfillment in offering empathy and support, aspiring to further her expertise through ongoing education, such as seminars, workshops, courses, volunteering and pursue a Master's degree. Paulina is also a student member of the Psychological Society of Ireland.
