Richard M. Ryan

Who is Richard M. Ryan?

Richard M. Ryan is an American professor of psychology, psychiatry and education at the University of Rochester. Along with professor Edward L. Deci, he is the co-creator of self-determination theory, one of the most influential theories of human motivation.

Richard M. Ryan has been one of the leading theorists of human motivation since the publication of Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior, a book he co-authored with Edward L. Deci in 1985 and which has been cited over 16,000 times according to google scholar. Self-determination theory, the theory he co-created with Edward L. Deci, is a macro theory of human motivation that differentiates between autonomous and controlled forms of motivation; the theory has been applied to predict behavior and inform behavior change in many contexts including: education, health care, work organizations, parenting, and sport. The article 'Self-Determination Theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being' published in American Psychologist 2000 and co-authored with Edward Deci, was the 6th most cited Psychiatry and Psychology article of its decade. Richard M. Ryan and Edward L.