A Conceptual Framework Linking Supervisor Support to Student Research Agency: A Self-Determination Perspective

Abstract

The supervisory relationship represents one of the most critical factors shaping graduate student development. Despite widespread recognition of its importance, theoretical understanding of how supervisor support influences student research agency remains fragmented. This paper proposes a conceptual framework that links supervisor support to graduate students' exercise of research agency through the lens of self-determination theory. The framework distinguishes three dimensions of supervisor support (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and posits that basic psychological needs satisfaction mediates the relationship between supervisor support and student research agency. The analysis further identifies a parallel pathway wherein need frustration constrains agency. Boundary conditions, including individual differences, developmental stage, and the support-independence balance, moderate these core relationships. The paper concludes with implications for efficient supervisory practice.