Abstract
The theory of self-determination developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, which can be expressed as the individual's self-determination of own actions or situations without any external pressure, is mainly benefited in the fields of psychology and education. In addition, although it is a new theory, it plays an important role in understanding and explaining recreational preferences. The aim of the study is to make a bibliometric analysis of the studies that benefit from the self-determination theory of Ryan and Deci, to systematically evaluate the academic studies in the field of tourism and recreation based on the theory, to explain the relationship and adequacy of the theory with recreation phenomena by revealing the frequency of use to make guiding contributions. The sample of the study; in the Scopus database, between 1980, when the theory was introduced, and 2022, is constituted 8,849 studies using the keywords "Self-determination Theory-Self-determination Theory" and "Ryan, Deci" as "title" and "keywords". In analysis of the study data.; frequency analysis and VOSviewer statistical program were benefited. The data were interpreted and classified under different headings. According to the findings procured in the study, between 1980 and 2022 has been identified that 514 keywords "Recreation-Recreation" and "Self-determination Theory-Self-determination Theory" were used and that 438 keywords "Tourism-Tourism" and "Self-determination Theory-Self-determination Theory" were used in study.