Creativity Module 14:
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
Background Information:
Intrinsic motivation describes all motivational types driven by internal incentives, while extrinsic motivation describes all motivational types driven by external rewards. Table 3.2 in chapter 3 presents subsets of motivation that highlight specific motivating factors. For example, intrinsic or internal motivation provides satisfaction during the performance of the task itself; it is satisfied by the inner joy of the task. Extrinsic motivators include recognition, status, authority, grade, and promotion. Sometimes Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation work together to achieve an optimal balance of motivating factors.
Activities
Hall of Fame (Michalko, 2006)
Using real or fictional people can be helpful when trying to explain intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. When we put ourselves in another person’s shoes (real, fictional, historic) we can feel their inner satisfaction regarding completing a task and their need for some sort of reward.
-
Role play provides opportunity for students to become aware of their emotional and cognitive experiences in scenarios involving intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Have your students engage in role play. In one role play scenario:
-
In the first scenarios, two groups of three students discuss their feelings about two different teacher-student interactions:
-
Teacher A always gives positive feedback.
-
Teacher B always gives negative feedback.
-
-
In the second scenario, a girls' basketball team that receives supportive instruction from their male coach at halftime goes on to win, while another team that is yelled at by their male coach to the point of the star player crying goes on to lose, with the star player eventually transferring to another university
Assessment
Observe and discuss with the students the results of the various role play scenarios with the goal of their experiencing both intrinsic and extrinsic situations.
Have students write a short reflection describing a situation where extrinsic motivation is necessary to encourage intrinsic motivation. Discuss their ideas to recognize that both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation may sometimes be needed.