Rethinking conceptually distinct but empirically intertwined constructs in work motivation

Purpose Job autonomy, intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction are typically treated as conceptually distinct constructs linked through causal or mediational relationships, yet survey-based studies consistently report strong empirical proximity among them even when they meet or approach conventional discriminant-validity standards. This conceptual paper asks what such structural relationships represent when conceptually distinct constructs are strongly intercorrelated in self-report models. Design/methodology/approach The paper develops an interpretive representation perspective treating self-reported motivation constructs as cognitively co-organized articulations of work experience. Survey data from 349 working adults serve an illustrative function, with each respondent providing ratings under two framings of their work experience (on-site and work-from-home) and partial least squares structural equation modeling examining within-person reweighting of structural configurations. Findings Autonomy, intrinsic motivation, and job satisfaction are generally psychometrically distinguishable yet structurally intertwined, with the closest construct pairings approaching conventional discriminant-validity thresholds. Differences across the two framings appear as selective reweighting of structural associations rather than uniform moderation or stable causal ordering, a pattern consistent with the interpretive representation account. Originality/value The paper offers a conceptual reinterpretation of a long-standing empirical regularity in organizational behavior research: strong covariance among motivation-related self-report measures is reframed as an expression of cognitive organization rather than evidence of causal sequencing. The argument complements established motivational theories and provides a more defensible basis for interpreting cross-sectional self-report SEM results, with implications for research practice and the use of employee survey data.