Why do we do the things we do? What drives our behavior? Psychologists have proposed different ways of thinking about motivation, including looking at whether motivation arises from outside (extrinsic) or inside (intrinsic) an individual. Show
Mental Health in the Workplace WebinarOn May 19, 2022, Verywell Mind hosted a virtual Mental Health in the Workplace webinar, hosted by Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW. If you missed it, check out this recap to learn ways to foster supportive work environments and helpful strategies to improve your well-being on the job. Researchers have found that each type has a different effect on a person's behavior and pursuit of goals. To better understand the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on human behavior, it will help to learn how each type works. Is It Extrinsic or Intrinsic Motivation?What Is Extrinsic Motivation?Extrinsic motivation is when we are motivated to perform a behavior or engage in an activity because we want to earn a reward or avoid punishment. You will engage in behavior not because you enjoy it or because you find it satisfying, but because you expect to get something in return or avoid something unpleasant. What Is Intrinsic Motivation?Intrinsic motivation is when you engage in a behavior because you find it rewarding. You are performing an activity for its own sake rather than from the desire for some external reward. The behavior itself is its own reward. Extrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic Motivation
Press Play for Advice On Staying MotivatedHosted by Editor-in-Chief and therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares how to stay motivated and focused even when you don't want to. Click below to listen now.
Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation: Which Is Best?Extrinsic motivation arises from outside of the individual while intrinsic motivation comes from within. Research has shown that each type has a different effect on human behavior. Studies have demonstrated that offering excessive external rewards for an already internally rewarding behavior can reduce intrinsic motivation—a phenomenon known as the overjustification effect. For example, in a 2008 study, children who were rewarded for playing with a toy they had already expressed interest in playing with became less interested in the item after being externally rewarded. This is not to suggest that extrinsic motivation is a bad thing—it can be beneficial in some situations. For example, extrinsic motivation can be particularly helpful when a person needs to complete a task that they find unpleasant. Additionally, external rewards can:
Extrinsic motivators should be avoided in situations where:
When to Use External Rewards
When Not to Use External Rewards
When to Use Extrinsic MotivationMost people assume that intrinsic motivation is best, but it is not always possible in every situation. Sometimes a person simply has no internal desire to engage in an activity. Offering excessive rewards can be problematic as well. However, when they are used appropriately, extrinsic motivators can be a useful tool. For example, extrinsic motivation can get people to complete a work task or school assignment that they are not interested in. Researchers have arrived at three primary conclusions regarding extrinsic rewards and their influence on intrinsic motivation:
How Do Intrinsic Motivation and Extrinsic Motivation Influence Learning?Both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation play a significant role in learning. Experts have argued that education's traditional emphasis on external rewards (such as grades, report cards, and gold stars) undermines any existing intrinsic motivation that students might have. Others have suggested that extrinsic motivators help students feel more competent in the classroom, which in turn enhances their intrinsic motivation. "A person's interest often survives when a reward is used neither to bribe nor to control but to signal a job well done, as in a "most improved player" award. If a reward boosts your feeling of competence after doing good work, your enjoyment of the task may increase. Rewards, rightly administered, can motivate high performance and creativity. And extrinsic rewards (such as scholarships, admissions, and jobs that often follow good grades) are here to stay." —David G. Meyers, Psychology: Eighth Edition in Modules A Word From VerywellBoth extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation drive human behavior. There are several key differences between motivation that comes from external rewards and the kind that is driven by an individual's genuine interest, including the influence of each type on a person's behavior and the situations in which each type will be most effective. Understanding how each type of motivation works and when it is likely to be useful can help people perform tasks (even when they do not want to) and improve their learning. Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Thanks for your feedback! Which one of the following is the best example of intrinsic motivation?An example of intrinsic motivation would be reading a book because you enjoy reading and have an interest in the story or subject, rather than reading because you have to write a report on it to pass a class.
Which of the following is the best example of extrinsic motivation?Being paid to do a job is an example of extrinsic motivation. You may enjoy spending your day doing something other than work, but you're motivated to go to work because you need a paycheck to pay your bills.
Which one of the following alternatives best describes differences between students with a mastery orientation and students with learned helplessness?Which one of the following alternatives best describes differences between children with a mastery orientation and children with learned helplessness? Children with a mastery orientation set high goals and seek challenges. Children with learned helplessness underestimate their ability and set low goals.
Which of the following statements best reflects the research on the relationship between epistemological beliefs and achievement?Students with more advanced epistemological beliefs earned higher grades than students with less advanced epistemological beliefs. This statement best reflects the research on the relationship between epistemological beliefs and achievement.
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