Competence Need
Updated 2026-08-08
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
One of three basic psychological needs in self-determination theory, along with autonomy and relatedness, as formulated by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan. The competence need is the desire to feel effective in producing intended outcomes and to master challenges at the edge of current ability. It is satisfied by skill development, surmountable difficulty, and informative feedback. Satisfaction supports intrinsic motivation, learning, and well-being, while chronic frustration produces helplessness and disengagement.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Set difficulty: calibrate tasks just beyond current ability so effort produces visible mastery - Give feedback: make it specific and timely so it informs skill rather than judging the person - Make progress visible: break long work into milestones whose completion registers as competence
Anchor fast decisions
Feeling effective depends on seeing that your action produced the result. When difficulty sits close to current ability, effort reliably moves the outcome, so the link between action and effect stays visible. Feedback sharpens that link, while tasks that are far too hard break it and tasks that are far too easy remove the challenge, both of which starve the need.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-determination_theoryverified
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