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Building a stronger PRSSA chapter:
What Self Determination Theory tells us about the importance of
motivation and need satisfaction


By

Robert S. Pritchard, APR, Fellow PRSA
Captain, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Assistant Professor, Ball State University
Office: (765) 285-9104
Fax: (765) 285-7997
E-mail: [log in to unmask]

And

Vincent F. Filak, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Ball State University
Office: (765) 285-8218
Fax: (765) 285-8248
E-mail: [log in to unmask]

And

Lindsay L. Beach
Undergraduate Student, Ball State University
Email: [log in to unmask]


Submitted for presentation in the Public Relations Division for the 
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference
August 2005, San Antonio, Texas
Building a stronger PRSSA chapter:
What Self Determination Theory tells us about the importance of
motivation and need satisfaction


Abstract

This study uses self-determination theory to predict the impact of 
need satisfaction and intrinsic motivation on PRSSA members. While 
higher levels of need satisfaction universally predicted more 
positive ratings of both the PRSSA chapter and adviser, Teahan award 
winners were significantly more positive in their ratings of all of 
these variables. Furthermore, students who felt more intrinsically 
motivated reported a greater likelihood that they would persist in 
PRSSA and transition to PRSA upon graduation. Finally, the quality of 
the educational experience the student reported receiving was 
strongly predictive of the quality of their motivation, while 
external rewards were negatively correlated with motivation.
Building a stronger PRSSA chapter:
What Self Determination Theory tells us about the importance of
motivation and need satisfaction
Introduction
The Public Relations Student Society of America is one of the most 
successful student organizations in the country. The organization is 
comprised of more than 8,000 student members in 258 chapters and 
works with its parent group, the Public Relations Society of America 
(PRSA), to link classroom learning and professional experience 
(Knighton, 2004). This relationship is beneficial to both groups, as 
it provides students with access to professionals who help aid in 
their development and it provides the professional organization with 
a "minor-league team" of sorts, where future colleagues are cultivated.
Even with its successes, PRSSA has spent a good deal of time looking 
for ways to push students to not only join, but also become active in 
their chapters (Brookmeyer, 2005). In discussing the importance of 
out-of-the-classroom learning experiences, King (2002) stated that 
the experience only matters if it promotes student learning in 
meaningful ways. Experiences that fail to do this could be improved, 
she argues, if those in charge could find ways to provide a linkage 
between the students' classroom experiences and their life-goals. 
While PRSSA continues to thrive, there are those students who don't 
recognize the value of PRSSA beyond meetings, fundraising events and 
National conferences (Floris, 2004). There are also those students 
who have fallen into ruts focusing only on rote repetition of 
acronyms or adopting a narrow view of the profession (Floris, 2005).
Research on what makes for an active participant in professional 
organizations is limited. Hall (1993) lists a series of ways in which 
leaders can boost membership, including incentives and group 
identity. While she acknowledges that offering coercive rewards, such 
as free food or extra credit in a class, can provide an upswing in 
"joiners," she notes that this system doesn't develop committed 
members. Instead, she suggests that organizations offer members a 
sense of affiliation and group cohesion. In this way, she argues, 
individuals will be more likely to remain active members. McNally and 
Harvey (2001) found that students who take part in vocational student 
organizations are likely to make a successful transition to 
real-world employment. They also argue that students need 
opportunities to make decisions, take chances and experience success. 
Additional research in this area offers anecdotal evidence as to what 
makes individuals participate or simply discusses participation as 
the key to garnering benefits.
In an attempt to take a deeper look at the value of active 
participation in student groups, most specifically PRSSA, our prior 
research (BLIND CITE, 2005) used aspects of Self Determination Theory 
to assess motivation, engagement and persistence. SDT (Deci & Ryan, 
1985; 1991; 2000) is a theory of motivation that seeks to explain 
positive outcomes through psychological need satisfaction and 
intrinsic motivation. This theory has shown positive results in 
predicting enjoyment and growth in sports (Chatzisarantis et al., 
2003), medicine (Black & Deci, 2000) and classroom learning (Filak & 
Sheldon, 2003). Furthermore, it has been key in outlining what makes 
satisfying events satisfying (Sheldon, Elliot, Kim & Kasser, 1999) 
and what makes for a good day (Sheldon, Ryan & Reis, 1996). 
Additionally, Sheldon et al. (2003) has argued that SDT would be of a 
great benefit to organizations who sought to improve their members' 
motivation and task enjoyment.
This study is an attempt to support and extend our previous research 
regarding SDT and PRSSA. Our earlier work demonstrated that need 
satisfaction was predictive of positive ratings of both the adviser 
and the organization. Furthermore, the more intrinsically motivated 
the individuals were to participate in the organization, the more 
likely they were to state a desire to persist in their membership, 
ascend to roles of leadership and join PRSA upon graduation.
The sample for our previous study came from a targeted selection of 
2004 Dr. F.H. Teahan Chapter Award winning chapters. One of our goals 
in this paper is to assess whether differences in motivation exist 
between individuals drawn from the general population of PRSSA and 
our sample of students from these high performing chapters. 
Furthermore, we plan to assess whether need-satisfaction and 
motivational patterns remain consistent with this second group. Given 
the limited research of SDT's application in organizations, this is 
an important step toward adding legitimacy to the use of SDT in this 
fashion. Finally, we hope to assess what drives an individual to 
attain intrinsic motivation. While we have demonstrated a pattern 
that shows this form of motivation drives improved persistence and 
engagement in the organization, we now hope to be able to offer 
advisers and leaders of PRSSA practical ways to increase quality 
motivation within their chapters.



Literature Review
Self Determination Theory
Self Determination Theory (SDT) is a theory that seeks to explore the 
elements within the human experience that create positive 
motivational experiences for individuals. The theory approaches the 
human experience from an organismic perspective (Deci & Ryan, 2000) 
in which the total individual is involved in the process of 
developing interests and skills. In other words, humans have an 
innate need to grow, expand and learn until they've reached their 
potential. The theory uses various sub-theories to examine the 
varying reasons for positive outcomes. We will use two of these 
theoretical perspectives in this paper: basic need satisfaction and 
intrinsic motivation.
Basic need satisfaction: This theoretical proposition operates under 
the assumption that all humans inherently possess three psychological 
needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 
2000). The needs are additive in nature and when satiated, 
individuals operate at a premium level of motivation, much like a 
plant would thrive upon receiving optimum levels of soil, water and 
sunlight (Ryan, 1995).
Autonomy indicates that one is free from external control and can 
function as he or she sees fit. Its satisfaction is often 
misperceived as the fulfillment of an anarchic need (Ryan, Kuhl & 
Deci, 1997), as some would incorrectly equate it to allowing everyone 
to do whatever they want, whenever they want. This creates difficulty 
for individuals who are attempting to implement need-satisfaction 
strategies in a structured environment, like a classroom or a 
work-place setting. In contrast to this misconception, SDT posits 
that this need is more about feeling as though one's actions are 
truly one's own. In other words, autonomy requires an individual to 
be able to "buy in" to the decisions he or she is making.
Autonomy support is provided in three key ways: offering choice when 
choice is possible, explaining why choice is not possible when it 
isn't and taking a subordinate's perspective (Deci, Eghrari, Patrick 
& Leone, 1994). In examining these options, it becomes clear that 
autonomy support can be met even when an individual is being 
controlled. The approach a superior takes in directing a subordinate 
can determine whether this need is fulfilled. For example, if the 
president of a PRSSA chapter needs a member to print off posters for 
a group event, simply telling the individual, "Go down to the copy 
center right now and get me 10 posters" fails to satisfy the need. 
However, by taking the following approach to the subordinate, the 
President can satisfy the subordinate's need for autonomy, while 
still being directive enough to get the task completed efficiently: 
"I need to make sure that we have posters so that we can promote this 
event. I know it's not the most glamorous job, but it has to be done 
properly and that's why I'm asking you for help. You can make the 
posters any way you'd like, as long as we have them by Monday. You 
will need to get them from the copy center downstairs, however, 
because we have an account with them."
In this interaction, the president engages in perspective taking ("I 
know it's not the most glamorous job"), offers choice ("You can make 
the posters any way you'd like") and provides a rationale when choice 
isn't possible ("You need to get them from the copy center downstairs 
because we have an account with them.") This approach, while still 
directed toward a specific goal, allows the individual in charge of 
completing the task to operate effectively.
Competence is the easiest need to comprehend and quite often the most 
difficult to satisfy. The desire to gain competence begins at an 
early age (Stipek, 1988) and continues throughout one's life. Almost 
every aspect of human engagement and competition holds with it ways 
of measuring competence. Athletes seek to run faster or jump farther 
than those who came before them. Students seek better grades than 
other members of their peer group. Scientists seek new ways to make 
technology smaller, faster and easier to use. Inherent to all human 
activities is a need to take on and master challenges (Deci & Ryan, 1985).
To help fulfill this need, individuals need to feel as though they 
are operating effectively in their actions. Leaders within an 
organization must provide constructive feedback that seeks to improve 
results by fostering growth in individuals (Deci, Cascio & Krusell, 
1975). When an individual completes a task, a leader can aide in 
competence satisfaction by outlining what worked well (positive 
reinforcement) and what didn't work well and why (growth promotion). 
Competence can also be aided by working with the subordinate to 
outline a plan for future actions. This not only provides 
opportunities for competence building but also aids in autonomy support.
Finally, relatedness is a need to feel valued by important others 
(Deci & Ryan, 2000). Some have posited that this relationship is much 
like a parent and a child, while other have described it as the need 
to feel connected to others and worthy of the benefits that 
individuals are affording them (Connell & Wellborn, 1991). Baumeister 
and Leary (1995) have equated this need to a sense of belonging, 
which fits well when discussing personal connections with 
organizations and their members. Organizations that foster mutual 
respect and admiration among their members are likely to meet this 
need while those that seek an autocratic structure are likely to 
undermine it. Furthermore, a strict reliance on power of position 
will create a rift among members, making it difficult for the 
rank-and-file to relate to the top leadership.

Hypothesis 1: Autonomy, competence and relatedness will independently 
predict positive evaluations of PRSSA.

Hypothesis 2: Autonomy, competence and relatedness will independently 
predict positive adviser evaluations.

Intrinsic motivation: SDT has always been a theory driven by a desire 
to understand what motivates individuals to act or, in some cases, 
not to act (Ryan, 1982). Deci & Ryan (1985) posited that while 
motivation rests within an individual's discretion, it varies in type 
and quality. The motivational spectrum ranges from extrinsic 
motivation through intrinsic motivation, with the latter being 
preferred as it has shown the greatest likelihood of predicting 
continuing behavior (Lepper, 1981). Ryan and Connell (1989) proposed 
four key points along this spectrum in an attempt to identify 
palpable types of motivation. Each form is considered in turn, 
ranging from the least self-determined to the most.
Extrinsic motivation is created through external forces that compel 
choices that are not in line with the individual's desires. People 
who act under this form of motivation will persist in the activity 
only as long as the outside force remains present. Introjected 
motivation is when an individual adopts a motivation that is not 
truly his or her own. Colloquially speaking, this is motivation 
attained through a guilt trip. While no physical reward or punishment 
is present, as is the case with extrinsic motivation, the individual 
feels little volition to enact the behavior of their own accord. 
Internalized motivation takes place when an individual does not 
necessarily enjoy the activity itself, but values the outcome or sees 
a reason for participating. For example, an employee might take on a 
new project at the behest of his boss, even though he doesn't have a 
great deal of interest in it. However, he sees value in learning new 
skills, gaining leadership experience and impressing the boss. Thus, 
he is motivated to work very hard on the project. Finally, intrinsic 
motivation is a desire to take part in activities because one enjoys 
the activity itself. This is the best form of motivation, as it 
sponsors enjoyment and persistence in the activity, regardless of 
outside forces. While the first three types of motivation (extrinsic, 
introjected and internalized) have some sort of tangible outcome 
attached to them, internalized motivation is viewed as closer to 
intrinsic because the motivation is more driven by one's own desire 
than outside pressure.
A study by Sheldon and colleagues (2003) argues that organizations 
should take a strong interest in the type of motivation their 
employees possess. Too often, organizations seek to bribe individuals 
with external rewards tied to task performance. Lepper, Green and 
Nisbett (1973) found that external rewards that are tied to 
performance can undermine intrinsic motivation. Individuals who would 
have persisted in an activity simply because of their enjoyment will 
be less likely to do so when given financial or other external 
compensation. Regardless of whether the extrinsic motivation comes in 
the form of a reward (Deci, 1971) or punishment (Deci, Nezlek & 
Sheinman,1981), the introduction of external controls can severely 
hamper intrinsic motivation and growth. Furthermore, external rewards 
can transform productive individuals into organizational members who 
perform rote activities without a desire to seek greater 
understanding as to how they fit in the group's larger picture. Those 
who remain intrinsically motivated, however, will be more likely to 
persist in their behavior, regardless of the presence of punishment or reward.

Hypothesis 3: Individuals with higher levels of intrinsic motivation 
will be more likely to state an intention to persist in their 
association with the student and professional chapters of the organization.


In addition to our three hypotheses, we posited these research questions:


RQ1: Do significant differences exist between Teahan award winners 
and the rest of the PRSSA population in regard to need satisfaction 
and motivation?

RQ2: What experiential variables are most likely to predict higher 
levels of intrinsic motivation?

Methodology
We issued an email to the national leadership of PRSSA, asking them 
to forward our survey request to their members. We requested all 
members of PRSSA who had not won a F.H. Teahan Award in the past year 
to take an online survey regarding their experiences in the 
organization. No incentive was provided for participation.
We received 142 responses, but eliminated those cases in which less 
than half of the survey was completed, leaving us with 124 cases for 
analysis. Mean substitution was used to replace missing values. No 
more than 5 percent of the data in any single variable was replaced 
through this method.
Although PRSSA claims a membership of approximately 8,000 students, 
the elimination of the award-winners reduced the population by more 
than 500 members. Furthermore, several chapter schools were on Spring 
Break while the survey was being conducted, eliminating them from 
consideration. Spam filters and expired addresses also limit a survey 
of this type, and thus, it is difficult for us to ascertain a 
specific response rate.
The instrument was adapted from a previous study (Filak & Sheldon, 
2004) and was used to examine the level of intrinsic motivation 
participants felt in regard to PRSSA and whether they felt their 
psychological needs were sated. We augmented this scale with a 
section that sought to assess practical reasons for membership in 
PRSSA. These items were drawn from literature on organizational 
membership and participant satisfaction (Betz et al., 1971; Hall, 
1993, McNally & Harvey, 2001).
Students' adviser and organization evaluations:  Students were asked 
to rate their overall feelings about their experiences in PRSSA. 
Organization approval was defined with a two-item index ("Overall, 
PRSSA is an excellent organization" and "I would recommend this 
organization to a friend," alpha = .88). Adviser approval was 
operationalized similarly ("Overall, the faculty adviser provides 
excellent support to PRSSA" and "I would recommend this adviser to a 
friend," alpha = .90). These items are representative of what 
students have seen on course evaluations, and have shown validity in 
their representation of positive outcomes in previous studies (Filak 
& Sheldon, 2003).
Students' psychological need-satisfaction:  The measure was based on 
the Basic Psychological Needs Scale (Ilardi, Leone, Kasser & Ryan, 
1993). The autonomy items used in the student survey were "I feel 
like I had a lot of input in deciding how to participate in this 
organization," "I was free to express my opinions in this 
organization," and "The adviser took my perspective into 
consideration in this organization," (alpha = .86). Competence items 
were "I enjoy the challenges this organization provides,"  "Most of 
the time, I feel a sense of accomplishment from doing work for this 
organization," and "I do not think the tasks I do for this 
organization are very stimulating," (last item was reversed; alpha = 
.88). Relatedness items were "The adviser cares about me and my 
progress," "The adviser was generally friendly towards me," and "I 
don't feel the adviser understood me," (last item was reversed; alpha = .84).
Students' self-determined motivation: We also used a self-determined 
motivation scale, based on the work of Ryan and Connell (1989), to 
assess the types and levels of motivation participants had in regard 
to their PRSSA experience. A four-item scale was used to measure the 
level of external ("You participate in this organization because 
somebody else wanted you to, or because the situation seemed to 
compel it"), introjected ("You participate in this organization 
because you would feel ashamed, guilty, or anxious if you didn't"), 
identified ("You participate in this organization because you really 
believe that it's an important organization to belong to") and 
intrinsic ("You participate in this organization because of the 
enjoyment or stimulation that it provides you") motivation the 
student felt toward involvement in PRSSA.  To craft a motivational 
variable based on these items, we summed the external and introjected 
items and subtracted them from the summed score of the internalized 
and intrinsic motivation items.  More positive scores are indicative 
of a more intrinsic level of motivation while more negative scores 
indicate an extrinsic, or controlled, motivation.
Persistence variables: We also asked students how likely they thought 
they would be to continue in PRSSA, how likely they thought they 
would be to take on or persist in leadership roles and to what degree 
they thought they would continue in the professional chapter of this 
organization (Public Relations Society of America) upon graduation. A 
three-item scale was used to determine persistent behavior in the 
organization. These items were: "I plan to be an active member of 
PRSSA during my time in college," "I want to take on (or maintain) a 
position of leadership in this organization," and "I plan to join 
PRSA when I graduate or when I become a member of the workforce" 
(alpha = .80).
Experiential and demographic variables: Finally, we asked students to 
rate a series of statements that provided practical rationale for 
their membership in PRSSA. We drew our experiential variables from 
Betz et al. (1971) with linguistic adaptations to make the items 
speak specifically to the participants' PRSSA experiences.
We identified three variables that had merit when considering 
motivation in this arena. The first variable was comprised of four 
items and spoke to the personal connections or affiliation the 
individual felt toward the organization: "PRSSA is a big part of my 
life," "PRSSA plays a significant role in how I define myself," I 
spend a lot of time doing things for PRSSA" and "I feel a real sense 
of connection to this group" (alpha = .90). The second variable 
contained four items and spoke to the ability to shape the policy or 
influence the direction of the group. These items were "This 
organization gives me opportunities to participate in making 
decisions about rules and regulations," "I am allowed to have input 
in important decisions about this organization," " My opinion is 
respected when the organization discusses important issues" and "I 
see values in crafting policies and procedures in this organization" 
(alpha = .88). The third variable included three items that spoke to 
the quality of experience and the opportunities the organization 
presents. These items were: "This organization gives me opportunities 
to participate in activities that fulfill my personal growth," "This 
organization gives me opportunities to work on my thinking and 
reasoning skills," "This organization gives me a quality educational 
experience" and "This organization prepares me for a future in this 
field" (alpha = .89). Finally, we added a single item variable that 
spoke to participating in PRSSA because of a tangible reward or 
incentive to address the issues raised by Hall (1993) pertaining to 
the impact incentives have on joining versus actively participating 
in organizations.
Demographic information, including age, gender, number of semesters 
in PRSSA and year in school, was also collected. (See Table 1 for 
means and standard deviations of study variables).

Results
We began by assessing the data we gathered specifically for this 
study (n= 124). First, we examined a bivariate correlation matrix to 
ascertain whether any demographic variables were co-varying with the 
variables we wished to examine. We found that gender, the number of 
semesters spent in PRSSA and the participant's year in school all 
were significantly correlated with numerous variables and thus they 
were retained for future analyses.
We then proceeded to reexamine our earlier findings regarding need 
satisfaction and persistence based on intrinsic motivation. 
Subsequently, we examined the data for any differences between the 
award winners and the rest of the PRSSA population. Finally, we 
studied the groups collectively to ascertain what aspects of PRSSA 
best predicted higher levels of intrinsic motivation.



Need satisfaction
Hypothesis 1 stated that autonomy, competence and relatedness would 
independently predict positive evaluations of PRSSA. We used a 
hierarchical linear regression, which allowed us to account for the 
three covariates, to assess the validity of this hypothesis. The 
regression was strong and predictive (Full model Adj. R-square = 
.56). We found autonomy (beta = .30; p < .01) and competence (beta = 
.53; p < .001) acted as significant predictors in this model. 
Relatedness (beta = .02, p < .5) was not significant in this 
regression. Hypothesis 1 was partially supported.
Hypothesis 2 stated that autonomy, competence and relatedness would 
independently predict positive adviser evaluations. We again utilized 
a hierarchical regression, with gender, year in school and semesters 
in PRSSA acting accounting for the first block and the three needs 
accounting for the second. The regression, again, was strong and 
predictive (Full model Adj. R-square = .55) with relatedness (beta = 
.62; p < .001) serving as the only significant predictor. Autonomy 
(beta= .18, p = .1) was marginally significant while competence (beta 
= .07; p < .4) was not significant. Hypothesis 2 received partial support.

Self-determined motivation
Hypothesis 3 stated that individuals with higher levels of intrinsic 
motivation would be more likely to state their intention to persist 
in their association with the organization. We used a three-step 
regression, in which we accounted for the demographic covariates in 
the first block, the trio of self-determined needs in the second and 
the quality of motivation variable in the third. While autonomy and 
competence were the only needs shown to impact persistence at a 
bivariate level (r = .46 and .62, p < .01, respectively), 
self-determination theory argues that all three needs are key to 
positive outcomes. Additionally, SDT's theoretical model calls for 
quality of motivation to predict need satisfaction and need 
satisfaction to predict positive outcomes.  Sheldon et al. (2003) 
argues that self-determined motivation produces higher levels of buy 
in, or persistence, and our own research (BLIND CITE, 2005) has found 
this approach to be successful. We therefore felt that accounting for 
the needs appeared to be important while still examining a direct 
causal path between quality of motivation and persistence. The 
regression was predictive (Full model adj. R-square = .45) with the 
motivation variable serving as a valid predictor (beta = .18, p < 
.05). Hypothesis 3 was supported.

Differences among groups
We sought to assess differences between participants who came from 
the award-winning chapters and those who came from the rest of the 
PRSSA population. This annual award is designed to recognize the 
outstanding achievements of PRSSA chapters, its members, and 
advisers.  These chapters are presumed to represent the year's best 
chapters.  We combined the data from our previous study with the data 
we collected in this study (collective n= 240) and used multivariate 
analyses of covariance (MANCOVAs) to study this issue. A MANCOVA is a 
robust test of differences among groups (Keppel, 1991), as it allows 
the variance accounted for in the covariates to be removed so that 
the variables of interest can be more clearly examined. Furthermore, 
a MANCOVA regresses one dependent variable onto another, which 
prevents the inflation of the region of significance and the 
possibility that the researcher will make a Type I error (Tabachnick 
& Fidell, 2001).
We first examined the need satisfaction variables as well as the 
PRSSA and adviser approval variables for differences. A Wilks' Lambda 
test demonstrated that the MANCOVA was significant (p < .001) and 
that the correlative effect was moderately strong (eta = .28). An 
examination of the individual ANCOVAs that contributed to this 
statistic showed that significant differences existed for both the 
adviser approval (F= 76.6, p < .001) and the organizational approval 
variables (F= 26.1, p < .001). Significant differences also existed 
for the three needs: autonomy (F= 7.00, p < .01), competence (F=16.4, 
p < .001) and relatedness (F= 26.9, p < .001). An examination of the 
descriptive statistics (see table 2) shows that in every case, the 
Teahan award winners were more positive in their assessments.
A second MANCOVA was used to examine differences between the groups 
in regard to the persistence and motivation variables. A Wilks' 
Lambda test was not significant in this case (p > .5) and thus no 
significant differences were found.

Experiential variables
Given that no significant differences existed between the groups in 
regard to motivation and persistence, we kept the groups together for 
the final set of analyses (n= 240). We used a hierarchical linear 
regression, accounting for gender, year in school and number of 
semesters in PRSSA, to examine which experiential variables predicted 
intrinsic motivation.
The regression was predictive (Full model adj. R-square = .28) and 
offered some interesting insight. The strongest predictor of 
motivation was the quality of experience variable (beta = .34, p < 
.001). Interestingly, the personal connections variable, which speaks 
to the level of affiliation an individual feels toward the group was 
only marginally predictive (beta = .15, p = .09) and the incentive 
variable resulted in a marginally significant negative relationship 
(beta = -.11, p = .066).

Discussion and conclusion
This study provided several key findings regarding ways to improve 
and develop a stronger PRSSA chapter. We solidified our earlier 
findings regarding need satisfaction and positive feelings toward 
PRSSA chapters and advisers. The data analyzed here further suggested 
that the satisfaction of autonomy and competence predicted chapter 
approval while the satisfaction of autonomy and relatedness predicted 
adviser approval. These findings mimic our earlier work and fit a 
sensible pattern. Relatedness is an interpersonal need while 
competence is a structural need. Simply put, individuals relate to 
one another but the desire to master challenges can be fulfilled 
through participation in activities and organizations. Autonomy plays 
a role in both human and organizational interactions and, as such, 
its presence is logical in influencing both adviser and chapter 
approval. We also solidified our findings regarding the importance of 
quality motivation in gauging persistence in the organization. 
Individuals who took part in PRSSA of their own volition are more 
likely to persist in the organization and follow through with a 
commitment to PRSA.
By expanding the scope of this study and the type of participants, we 
were able to evaluate differences among the top-rated PRSSA chapters 
and members of the general population of PRSSA. No significant 
differences existed between the groups in regard to the level of 
intrinsic motivation or the desire to persist in the organization. 
However, Teahan award winners rated their chapter, their adviser and 
their levels of need satisfaction more positively than did members of 
other chapters. This offers some interesting fodder for discussion in 
regard to the ways in which need satisfaction can drive a chapter to 
greatness. As need satisfaction improves, students feel better about 
their chapters. While we can make no causal claims that need 
satisfaction can bring about a Teahan award, the connection between 
these elevated ratings of need satisfaction in award-winning chapters 
is worth further exploration.
Finally, we examined experiential variables for predictions of 
self-determined motivation. We found that the quality of the 
experience was the strongest predictor of high levels of quality 
motivation. Tangible rewards were negatively correlated with 
intrinsic motivation while the affiliation variable was weak and 
marginal in its predictive power. This finding should be of interest 
to officials in both the parent and student chapters of this group, 
as it reflects a need to find ways to engage students as opposed to 
attempting to force them to take part or coerce their participation 
by bribing them. Furthermore, it offers advisers a practical solution 
to diminished motivation. By offering students a clear sense of how 
PRSSA will help them get a job, improve their skill sets and enhance 
their personal growth, advisers can create an atmosphere in which 
students feel motivated to actively participate in the organization.
Far too often in the collegiate realm, organizations take the 
simplest path in seeking to inspire organizational dedication. From 
the "free pizza" bribes to the extra credit that professors offer, 
there tends to be a focus on tangible rewards to improve attendance 
at organizational meetings or group activities. SDT has shown that 
this approach is not only invalid in inspiring individuals to engage 
in desired behavior, but undermines any hope that the participant 
will persist once the reward is removed. This study has demonstrated 
that students who see value in an organization are likely to participate.
Moreover, this study improves our knowledge and understanding of the 
value of intrinsic member motivation to persistent in their 
relationship with the Society can have broad implications for the 
profession.  Understanding how to get our PRSSA members to "convert" 
their memberships to PRSA can be especially helpful in solving a 
persistent concern of the Society.  Knowing what members value in 
terms of the outcomes of their experience in PRSSA and helping them 
understand the importance of the organization in terms of career 
goals can help PRSSA advisers gain "buy in" from members which in 
turn will maintain consistent chapter membership.  Further, PRSSA 
advisors will be more successful in their very important roles of 
inculcating appropriate professional values and principles, growing 
future leaders and preparing the next generation of public relations 
experts, passionate about what they're doing and equipped with a 
solid foundation on which to become a successful pubic relations practitioner.
This study also provides a positive underpinning for future research 
that will help faculty advisors and the Society at large understand 
the types of activities that will help students develop more 
intrinsic motivation.  The obvious value in this understanding is the 
ability to craft membership and recruiting materials that help 
encourage greater participation in PRSSA.
Since it is apparent that motivation drives need satisfaction as well 
as the desire to persist, it is up to the leadership of PRSSA to find 
ways to convey the inherent value in participating. Given the 
frequency with which public relations practitioners credit 
participation in PRSSA for their career success (see Floris, 2004 for 
one example), providing strong rationale for participating that goes 
beyond free pizza and extra credit should not be difficult.
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Table 1: Descriptive statistics for demographic, motivational and 
need-satisfaction variables.
Notes: Gender is male = 0, female = 1; Education level is based on 
number of years spent in school; Level of motivation is on a +12/-12 
scale; all other variables are measured on 7-point scales.

Table 2: Means for approval and need satisfaction variables between 
Teahan award winners and other members of PRSSA