Self-determination theory (SDT) asserts that motivation types, ranging from controlled to autonomous, are independent forms of motivation that differentially emerge from psychological need satisfaction or frustration. While research with predominantly white samples has supported this claim, theory and some research suggest that external regulation may stimulate intrinsic motivation in Black students. In the present investigation, we explored the extent to which daily controlled forms of motivation related to daily autonomous forms of motivation for Black and white samples. Finding the starkest contrasts in the relationships between external regulation and intrinsic motivation, we also explored the potential mediating role of daily psychological need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, relatedness). Using hierarchical daily diary data from 21 Black and 70 white high school students, we created a series of three-level random effects models to address our research questions. We found that on days when Black students’ external regulation was higher than their personal average, they experienced increased in intrinsic motivation since their last science class, which was not true for white students. Mediation analyses revealed that higher external regulation led to increases in intrinsic motivation via psychological need satisfaction for Black students (but not for white students). The results of this study suggest that race may partially explain the inconsistent relationships observed between intrinsic motivation and controlled forms of extrinsic motivation across prior research. Findings highlight the need to better incorporate understandings of race into motivation theory and research in order to support Black students’ success.

自我决定理论（SDT）认为，动机类型，从受控到自主，是独立的动机形式，从心理需要的满足或沮丧中脱颖而出。虽然以白人为主的研究支持了这一观点，但理论和一些研究表明，外部调节可能会激发黑人学生的内在动机。在本次调查中，我们探讨了黑白样本的日常控制动机与日常自主动机的相关程度。在发现外部调节与内在动机之间最明显的对比时，我们还探讨了日常心理需求满意度（自主性，能力，相关性）的潜在中介作用。利用来自21名黑人和70名白人高中学生的分层日记数据，我们创建了一系列的三级随机效应模型来解决我们的研究问题。我们发现，在黑人学生的外部调节高于他们的个人平均水平的日子里，自上一堂理科课以来，他们的内在动力有所增强，而白人学生则并非如此。调解分析显示，较高的外部调节通过黑人学生（而非白人学生）的心理需求满意度导致内在动机的增加。这项研究的结果表明，种族可能部分解释了先前研究中观察到的内在动机与外在动机的受控形式之间不一致的关系。