Extrinsic Motivation vs Intrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation vs intrinsic motivation:  The two types of motivation clearly demarcate themselves. Motivation is one of the most important factors to live our everyday life. There are two most common types of motivation – extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation refers to behaviour that is driven by external rewards, such as money, grades, or praise. In contrast, intrinsic motivation is behaviour driven by internal rewards, such as personal satisfaction, enjoyment, or a sense of accomplishment.

Extrinsic motivation vs intrinsic motivation

This article can loosely be summarised into these 3 points. They define the difference of Extrinsic motivation vs intrinsic motivation

1. Extrinsic motivation is driven by external rewards, while intrinsic motivation is driven by internal satisfaction and enjoyment.
2. Extrinsic motivation works well for short-term or one-off tasks but can be counterproductive in the long run, as it creates an expectation of rewards and can lead to demotivation.
3. Intrinsic motivation is associated with positive outcomes like increased creativity, persistence, and overall well-being, while extrinsic motivation can undermine intrinsic motivation when rewards replace the enjoyment of the activity itself.

What is Extrinsic motivation?

Extrinsic motivation is driven by external factors such as rewards and punishments. We do things either to get a reward or to avoid punishment. Both act as motivators for us to undertake a certain activity. It reduces motivation to a transactional exercise to achieve results. However, we need to ask the question of whether it is long-lasting.

This type of motivation can work great in the short term or for repetitive tasks that are one-off. However, this motivation can turn into demotivation once the task is done or the reward is achieved. In the long run, it can be counterproductive since it creates an expectation of reward for each activity. It even acts as an unsustainable type of motivation to help us achieve our long-term goals.

Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivation

What is intrinsic motivation?

Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is associated with performance that is driven by a desire to engage in an activity for its own sake, rather than for an external reward. Intrinsic motivation is driven by internal factors such as personal interest, joy and a sense of accomplishment. It is done for the completion of a job and not for any specific reward in mind. It refers to an activity that brings you joy and perks up your interest. You’d do it even without any direct rewards associated to it.

What is the difference – Extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation

Looking at this through the lens of Maslow’s needs hierarchy theory, extrinsic motivation caters to physiological needs. Whereas intrinsic motivation is similar to self-actualisation which is at the topmost part of the pyramid. Naturally, this indicates intrinsic motivation is the most compelling form of motivation. We might be able to extend this definition to the difference between motivation and inspiration. In this sense, I’d connect intrinsic motivation to inspiration.

Intrinsic motivation is associated with a variety of positive outcomes, including increased creativity, persistence, and overall well-being. In contrast, extrinsic motivation has been found to be associated with negative outcomes, such as decreased creativity and enjoyment, and an increase in stress and anxiety.

While both types of motivation can be effective in certain situations, it is important to note that extrinsic motivation can undermine intrinsic motivation. When people are offered rewards for an activity they previously enjoyed doing for its own sake, it can shift their focus to the reward rather than the activity itself, leading to a decrease in intrinsic motivation.

References:

The model of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation derives inspiration from the work of Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan the co-founders of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Their research has highlighted the importance of intrinsic motivation and its connection to factors like autonomy, competence, and relatedness. They have emphasized that people have innate psychological needs for autonomy (feeling in control and making choices), competence (feeling capable and effective), and relatedness (feeling connected and supported by others), and meeting these needs fosters intrinsic motivation.

• Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. (1999). A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 125(6), 627-668.
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions. Contemporary educational psychology, 25(1), 54-67.
• Weinstein, N., & Ryan, R. M. (2010). When helping helps: Autonomous motivation for prosocial behavior and its influence on well-being for the helper and recipient. Journal of personality and social psychology, 98(2), 222.