Toward a Unified Framework for Self-Sustainability Research

The Problem of Fragmentation

Self-sustainability is invoked by psychologists, economists, and environmentalists — but rarely do these disciplines speak to one another. A therapist's notion of self-sustainability (emotional resilience, autonomy) bears little resemblance to an ecologist's (regenerative systems, resource independence) or an economist's (financial self-sufficiency, reduced dependency).

Yet these dimensions are deeply interconnected. A person's financial precarity affects their mental health. Their ecological context shapes their economic options. Their psychological autonomy determines how effectively they can act on either. To research any one dimension in isolation is to miss the system.

Proposing an Integrated Model

We propose a three-axis model of self-sustainability that treats psychological, economic, and ecological dimensions as interdependent variables within a single system. Each axis can be measured independently, but the model's power lies in capturing their interactions.

Axis 1: Psychological Autonomy

Drawing on self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), this axis measures an individual's sense of competence, autonomy, and relatedness — the foundational psychological nutrients for sustainable functioning.

Axis 2: Economic Resilience

This axis captures the degree to which an individual or household can maintain wellbeing through economic disruption — encompassing income diversification, savings buffers, skill breadth, and access to mutual aid networks.

Axis 3: Ecological Integration

The ecological axis measures the extent to which a person's lifestyle operates within regenerative rather than extractive systems — from food sourcing to energy use to waste management.

Research Agenda

The Satori Institute will use this framework as the backbone of our Self-Sustainability research pillar. We plan longitudinal studies tracking all three axes across diverse populations, with a particular focus on how educational interventions (our speciality) can move the needle on all dimensions simultaneously.