the tendency for drive motivated behavior to develop derivative drives, such that behavior may become independent of the original drive. Studying motivated for approval then be replaced by desire for knowledge.
Cite this page: N., Sam M.S., "FUNCTIONAL AUTONOMY," in PsychologyDictionary.org, May 11, 2013, https://psychologydictionary.org/functional-autonomy/ (accessed August 16, 2022).