Developmental pathways of preadolescents' intrinsic and extrinsic values: The role of basic psychological needs satisfaction

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine longitudinally how intrinsic and extrinsic values develop during preadolescence within a mother-child context by comparing three different developmental pathways—direct value transmission, indirect value transmission, and value origination. Two hundred and thirty-three Korean mother—child dyads of late elementary students (Mage = 11.4 years; 55% girls) participated in a year-long online questionnaire survey. A longitudinal structural equation modelling analysis revealed two contrasting developmental pathways for intrinsic and extrinsic values in preadolescents. Intrinsic values developed via value origination, while extrinsic values developed via direct transmission. In other words, intrinsic values originated from the child's own inner psychological experiences and developed in accordance with changes in psychological needs satisfaction, whereas extrinsic values were transmitted from mothers in accordance with the degree to which they endorsed extrinsic values.