Extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation child development

There is an enormous body of research (e.g., see meta-analysis by Deci, Koestner, & Ryan, 2001) demonstrating that external awards/rewards actually undermine: When we offer external rewards, a studentвЂ™s attention shifts to the reward and they become less focused on the task and the process of learning itself. Why is this so? Perhaps it is because, in most cases, external rewards actually do lead to short-term compliance. The myth that вЂextrinsic rewards improve studentsвЂ™ learning and behaviourвЂ™ is so deeply entrenched in Australian education that it is an idea that is rarely disputed. There is no doubt that both educators and parents want our children to develop a love for learning and to be intrinsically motivated. Mastery rather than a performance outcome is the key here.

The reward resides in the action of learning itself. By contrast, students who are intrinsically motivated, tend to engage in learning for itвЂ™s own sake. In effect, the action of learning only becomes a вЂmeans to an endвЂ™. Students are driven to act for extrinsic reasons when they anticipate a tangible payoff (e.g., stickers, awards, grades, recognition of others).

In its most simplest form, students can be motivated for intrinsic or extrinsic reasons. Along these lines, academic motivation can broadly be described as a studentвЂ™s energy and drive to learn, engage and achieve in the academic domain (Martin, 2007).

When psychologists talk about motivation, we are typically referring to the вЂreason behind the actionвЂ™ (Frydenberg, Ainley, & Russell, 2005).

Extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation child development