Edward L. Deci
Psychologist and motivation researcher
Edward L. Deci was an American psychologist who studied human motivation. He co-founded self-determination theory, and he wrote Why We Do What We Do.
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American Born 1942 in New York, United States Died 2026
About Edward L. Deci
Edward L. Deci (1942 to 2026) was an American psychologist and academic. He taught at the University of Rochester, where he held the Gowen professorship in the Social Sciences and directed the Human Motivation Program. He was known for his work on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and on basic psychological needs, which he researched for about 40 years. With Richard Ryan, he co-founded self-determination theory. Away from the university, Deci also held the roles of president and director at the Monhegan Museum in Maine.