Thus, it is as if the contingency, which is now internal, still controls them. The least complete form of internalization is referred to as introjection, in which people take in a contingency without accepting it as their own. According to SDT, there are three different degrees to which a regulation and its underlying value can be internalized. This is the classic type of extrinsic motivation that was found to undermine intrinsic motivation, and it is the prototype of being controlled-that is, of being pressured to behave, think, or feel a particular way.Įxternal regulations can, however, be internalized, in which case the external contingencies are no longer required and people continue to work even when the boss is not watching.
![extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation theory extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation theory](http://www.thepeproject.com/resources/images/motivation/PsychmobileTarget.png)
When so motivated, the activity is said to be externally regulated-that is, initiated and maintained by contingencies external to the person (e.g., I work hard because I will be rewarded for doing so). Activities that are not interesting (i.e., that are not intrinsically motivating) require extrinsic motivation, so their initial enactment depends on the perception of a contingency between the behavior and a consequence such as the manager’s approval or a tangible reward. Self-determination theory proposes that extrinsic motivation varies in the degree to which it is autonomous depending on the degree to which it has been internalized. Self-determination theory (SDT) makes clear, however, that the two types of motivation tend be compatible when the extrinsic motivation has been well internalized. This often-replicated finding led many writers to assert that intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are invariantly antagonistic. In particular, tangible rewards have been found to decrease intrinsic motivation. Specifically, when extrinsic rewards are offered to a person for doing an intrinsically motivated activity, the rewards can either enhance or diminish the person’s intrinsic motivation.
![extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation theory extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation theory](http://www.msrblog.com/wp-content1/uploads/2017/12/Intrinsic-and-extrinsic-motivation-1.jpg)
In contrast, contingent rewards, surveillance, and threats highlight contingencies that enhance extrinsic motivation.Īlthough some motivation theories argue that intrinsic and extrinsic motivation have additive effects on performance and satisfaction, research has shown that the two types of motivation tend to interact. Research has shown that optimal challenge, positive performance feedback, and choice about activities stimulate interest and enhance intrinsic motivation. With extrinsic motivation, satisfaction comes not from the activity itself but, rather, from the extrinsic consequences to which the activity leads. In contrast, extrinsically motivated people engage in the activity because it is instrumental to a separate, though desirable consequence-for example, attaining a reward or avoiding a punishment. Intrinsic motivation is the prototype of autonomous motivation, for people engage in the activity with a sense of self-initiation, freedom, and volition.
![extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation theory extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation theory](https://i1.rgstatic.net/publication/311692691_Intrinsic_and_Extrinsic_Motivation/links/59d68704458515db19c4fd10/largepreview.png)
Intrinsically motivated people engage in an activity because they experience it as interesting and enjoyable.