UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
College of Economic and Management Sciences
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
IOP3703: Career Psychology
Assessment 1 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
IOP3703
Module Code:
Career Psychology
Module Name:
Work, Career Pathways, Paradigms and
Assignment Topic:
Career Assessment Ethics
[Student Full Name]
Student Name:
[Student Number]
Student Number:
Assessment 1
Assignment Number:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for IOP3703 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | IOP3703 Career Psychology
Question 1: Basic Human Needs Fulfilled by Work and Sources of the Meaning of Work
Work occupies a central place in human life. It does more than generate income; it satisfies
fundamental psychological needs that are essential for well-being, growth, and a sense of
identity. Self-Determination Theory (SDT), formulated by Deci and Ryan, proposes that all
human beings share three basic psychological needs whose satisfaction is a prerequisite
for optimal functioning and positive motivation (Deci and Ryan, 2000; Vansteenkiste et al.,
2020). Understanding these needs provides a theoretical basis for career psychology and
for understanding why work is experienced as meaningful, or as alienating, depending on the
degree to which these needs are met.
1.1 Three Basic Human Needs Fulfilled by Work
(a) Autonomy. The need for autonomy refers to the experience of volition and self-determination
(Deci and Ryan, 2000). It is concerned with the aspiration to self-organise one’s experiences
so that activities are consistent with one’s sense of self. Autonomy is satisfied when a person
can make choices freely and experiences ownership of their behaviour, rather than feeling
controlled by external pressures or internal compulsions (PMC, 2021). In the work context,
autonomy is fulfilled when employees have meaningful input into how they perform their
roles, what projects they pursue, and how they manage their time. A study of working adults
in 30 European countries found that the nonmonetary aspects of work, including autonomy,
relatedness, and competence, have a 4.6 times stronger association with the meaningfulness
of work than income, job insecurity, or working hours (Cambridge Core, 2024). This finding
underscores that autonomy at work is not a peripheral amenity but a core determinant of
psychological engagement.
(b) Competence. The need for competence refers to the experience of mastery and effective-
ness when engaging in tasks (Deci and Ryan, 2000). It is fulfilled when people can perform
tasks confidently, receive feedback that confirms their capability, and develop new skills that
enable further mastery over time (Vansteenkiste et al., 2020). Work provides one of the most
structured and recurrent contexts for competence need satisfaction in adult life. Role-specific
skills, career development opportunities, and performance feedback all serve as mechanisms
through which work either satisfies or frustrates the need for competence. Research consis-
tently shows that competence need satisfaction at work is associated with job satisfaction,
affective commitment, and lower turnover intention, while competence need frustration pre-
Page 2 of 19
, UNISA | IOP3703 Career Psychology
dicts burnout and disengagement (PMC, 2021).
(c) Relatedness. The need for relatedness refers to the desire to feel connected to others, to
care for and be cared for by significant people, and to experience a sense of belonging within
a community (Deci and Ryan, 2000). Work satisfies this need through collegial relationships,
team membership, mentoring, and the experience of contributing to a shared organisational
purpose. Kim, Fouad and Maeda, as cited in PMC (2023), found that relatedness at work, ex-
pressed as coworker support, is one of three primary needs that work provides alongside
financial security and self-determination. The relatedness dimension of work becomes partic-
ularly salient in contexts of social isolation or precarious employment, where the absence of
workplace relationships can significantly diminish well-being and psychological functioning.
Autonomy Competence Relatedness
(Volition, Self- (Mastery, (Belonging,
direction) Efficacy) Connection)
Work Engagement, Meaningful Work, Well-being
Figure 1: Three Basic Psychological Needs Fulfilled by Work (SDT: Deci and Ryan, 2000)
1.2 Sources of the Meaning of Work as Suggested by Allan et al. (2014)
Allan, Autin and Duffy (2014) draw on the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT) and SDT to
identify key sources through which individuals find meaning in their work. Their framework
emphasises that meaningful work is not merely a product of intrinsic task characteristics but
emerges from the interaction between the work context and the individual’s psychological
needs and social position (Allan et al., 2014, as cited in Cambridge Core, 2024).
(a) Need satisfaction. The most direct source of meaning in work, according to Allan et al.
(2014), is the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and
relatedness at work. When work activities fulfil these needs, the individual experiences a
positive affective state that constitutes the subjective experience of meaningful work (PMC,
2023). Intrinsic motivation, which arises naturally from need satisfaction, is identified as the
primary psychological pathway through which employees come to perceive their work as
meaningful.
Page 3 of 19
College of Economic and Management Sciences
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
IOP3703: Career Psychology
Assessment 1 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
IOP3703
Module Code:
Career Psychology
Module Name:
Work, Career Pathways, Paradigms and
Assignment Topic:
Career Assessment Ethics
[Student Full Name]
Student Name:
[Student Number]
Student Number:
Assessment 1
Assignment Number:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for IOP3703 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | IOP3703 Career Psychology
Question 1: Basic Human Needs Fulfilled by Work and Sources of the Meaning of Work
Work occupies a central place in human life. It does more than generate income; it satisfies
fundamental psychological needs that are essential for well-being, growth, and a sense of
identity. Self-Determination Theory (SDT), formulated by Deci and Ryan, proposes that all
human beings share three basic psychological needs whose satisfaction is a prerequisite
for optimal functioning and positive motivation (Deci and Ryan, 2000; Vansteenkiste et al.,
2020). Understanding these needs provides a theoretical basis for career psychology and
for understanding why work is experienced as meaningful, or as alienating, depending on the
degree to which these needs are met.
1.1 Three Basic Human Needs Fulfilled by Work
(a) Autonomy. The need for autonomy refers to the experience of volition and self-determination
(Deci and Ryan, 2000). It is concerned with the aspiration to self-organise one’s experiences
so that activities are consistent with one’s sense of self. Autonomy is satisfied when a person
can make choices freely and experiences ownership of their behaviour, rather than feeling
controlled by external pressures or internal compulsions (PMC, 2021). In the work context,
autonomy is fulfilled when employees have meaningful input into how they perform their
roles, what projects they pursue, and how they manage their time. A study of working adults
in 30 European countries found that the nonmonetary aspects of work, including autonomy,
relatedness, and competence, have a 4.6 times stronger association with the meaningfulness
of work than income, job insecurity, or working hours (Cambridge Core, 2024). This finding
underscores that autonomy at work is not a peripheral amenity but a core determinant of
psychological engagement.
(b) Competence. The need for competence refers to the experience of mastery and effective-
ness when engaging in tasks (Deci and Ryan, 2000). It is fulfilled when people can perform
tasks confidently, receive feedback that confirms their capability, and develop new skills that
enable further mastery over time (Vansteenkiste et al., 2020). Work provides one of the most
structured and recurrent contexts for competence need satisfaction in adult life. Role-specific
skills, career development opportunities, and performance feedback all serve as mechanisms
through which work either satisfies or frustrates the need for competence. Research consis-
tently shows that competence need satisfaction at work is associated with job satisfaction,
affective commitment, and lower turnover intention, while competence need frustration pre-
Page 2 of 19
, UNISA | IOP3703 Career Psychology
dicts burnout and disengagement (PMC, 2021).
(c) Relatedness. The need for relatedness refers to the desire to feel connected to others, to
care for and be cared for by significant people, and to experience a sense of belonging within
a community (Deci and Ryan, 2000). Work satisfies this need through collegial relationships,
team membership, mentoring, and the experience of contributing to a shared organisational
purpose. Kim, Fouad and Maeda, as cited in PMC (2023), found that relatedness at work, ex-
pressed as coworker support, is one of three primary needs that work provides alongside
financial security and self-determination. The relatedness dimension of work becomes partic-
ularly salient in contexts of social isolation or precarious employment, where the absence of
workplace relationships can significantly diminish well-being and psychological functioning.
Autonomy Competence Relatedness
(Volition, Self- (Mastery, (Belonging,
direction) Efficacy) Connection)
Work Engagement, Meaningful Work, Well-being
Figure 1: Three Basic Psychological Needs Fulfilled by Work (SDT: Deci and Ryan, 2000)
1.2 Sources of the Meaning of Work as Suggested by Allan et al. (2014)
Allan, Autin and Duffy (2014) draw on the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT) and SDT to
identify key sources through which individuals find meaning in their work. Their framework
emphasises that meaningful work is not merely a product of intrinsic task characteristics but
emerges from the interaction between the work context and the individual’s psychological
needs and social position (Allan et al., 2014, as cited in Cambridge Core, 2024).
(a) Need satisfaction. The most direct source of meaning in work, according to Allan et al.
(2014), is the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and
relatedness at work. When work activities fulfil these needs, the individual experiences a
positive affective state that constitutes the subjective experience of meaningful work (PMC,
2023). Intrinsic motivation, which arises naturally from need satisfaction, is identified as the
primary psychological pathway through which employees come to perceive their work as
meaningful.
Page 3 of 19
