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LIT-1977: Further Examining the American Dream: Differential Correlates of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Goals

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Properties5
StatusActive — read in full 2026-11-03 (NOTE-1525), from the scan on the SDT site. Worth reading as a primary source of goal contents theory: with overall striving held fixed, extrinsic aspirations go with lower and intrinsic with higher self-reported well-being, in an adult and a student sample. It does not test the "beyond the reasons" half of NOTE-439's C4, which it names as an open question.
Version2
Tagsmotivation, well-being
Cited as “paper” byNOTE-1525 — Kasser & Ryan — Further examining the American dream
Cited as “source” byTHEORY-1305 — In Kasser and Ryan's two cross-sectional samples, holding constant how much a person aspires to overall, the relative importance of extrinsic aspirations (money, fame, image) goes with less self-actualization and vitality and more physical symptoms, and of intrinsic aspirations (growth, relationships, community, health) with the reverse; the paper does not test whether this survives the reasons for pursuing the goals

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Kasser, T., Ryan, R. M. (1996). Further Examining the American Dream: Differential Correlates of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22(3), 280-287. doi:10.1177/0146167296223006.

Key takeaways

Read in full on 2026-11-03 (NOTE-1525).

  • Intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations are separate factors.
  • The balance between them, not overall striving, tracks well-being.
  • The intrinsic and extrinsic results are close to one contrast.
  • Correlational and self-report; reasons are not measured.
  • THEORY-1305.

Standing in the record

Goal Contents Theory. NOTE-439’s C4 (extrinsic aspirations predict lower well-being beyond the reasons for them) is held as SDT’s report, graded moderate, without the primary studies.

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