Autonomy over authority: the role of autonomous motivation in law compliance

Abstract Fear of punishment and perceived legitimacy of power are often believed to be key drivers of compliance with the law. Three studies challenged this view through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which posits that motivation can reflect internal values alongside such external forces, and in doing so stretched SDT into an important domain in which societal principles may inadvertently undermine motivation. Participants evaluated a proposed healthcare data law, presented in a clinical context, that pitted data privacy against the goal of building inclusive AI systems. Autonomous motivation to follow the law was consistently associated with intended law compliance. Conversely, controlled motivation driven by expectations of consequences showed mixed (positive or absent) effects on intended compliance. These results emphasize that relying on the threat of punishment may be insufficient for ensuring law compliance. Laws must be written in a way that resonate with values held by the public.