Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Practice Exam 2025 - Free OHS Practice Questions and Study Guide

Self-determination theory is a psychological framework that emphasizes the role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators in driving human behavior. In the context of occupational health and safety, this theory posits that individuals are more likely to engage in safe behavior when they feel a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Autonomy refers to the individual's desire to have control over their actions, suggesting that when workers feel they have a choice in their safety practices, they are more motivated to adhere to them. Competence involves an individual's belief in their ability to perform certain tasks safely, enhancing confidence in their skills and encouraging responsible behavior. Relatedness reflects the importance of social connections; when employees feel supported by their colleagues and management, they are more likely to prioritize safety as it aligns with group norms and values.

This theory effectively captures the diverse individual motivators that can impact safety behavior, making it particularly relevant in designing interventions and programs aimed at enhancing workplace safety culture.

While reinforcement theory focuses on outcomes from behaviors, such as rewards and punishments, and goal-setting theory emphasizes the importance of specific, challenging goals to boost performance, neither captures the multifaceted nature of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations the way self-determination theory does. Transformational leadership theory,