Basic psychological needs satisfaction and student engagement: the importance of novelty satisfaction
Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education
ISSN: 2050-7003
Article publication date: 24 November 2020
Issue publication date: 13 December 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the associations between students' basic psychological needs satisfaction, including novelty satisfaction, and the four aspects of student engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from a total sample of 743 undergraduate students from three public universities in northern Malaysia. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the data.
Findings
Competence and relatedness were positively related to the four aspects of student engagement, while autonomy satisfaction was found to relate to agentic engagement. Novelty satisfaction, on the other hand, is related positively with behavioural, emotional and cognitive engagement.
Research limitations/implications
The results provide a new understanding on the importance of novelty satisfaction alongside existing needs in self-determination theory (SDT) in enhancing student engagement.
Practical implications
Educators are encouraged to develop strategies to provide novelty support and facilitate students' basic needs satisfaction in order to establish a motivational learning environment that vitalises students' engagement.
Originality/value
This study breaks new ground by testing the unique relationships of novelty satisfaction along with the psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, with the four aspects of student engagement in higher education.
Keywords
Citation
Benlahcene, A., Kaur, A. and Awang-Hashim, R. (2021), "Basic psychological needs satisfaction and student engagement: the importance of novelty satisfaction", Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 1290-1304. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-06-2020-0157
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited