Extrinsic Motivation

What is Extrinsic Motivation?

Extrinsic motivation means doing something for an outcome separate from the activity itself. You work for pay, study for a qualification or complete an assignment for a grade.

Extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation concerns enjoyment or interest in the activity. Extrinsic motivation concerns what the activity leads to. That distinction is not the same as being forced versus choosing freely.

In Ryan and Deci's 2000 paper, extrinsic motives range from externally controlled to personally endorsed. Studying because you value a qualification is still extrinsic, even if nobody is pressuring you. The qualification is a separate outcome.

Why it matters

Many worthwhile tasks are not enjoyable in themselves. An external outcome can give someone a reason to do them. Calling that motivation extrinsic does not tell you whether it is weak, short-lived or personally meaningful.

Rewards can also affect a person's interest in an activity. To understand an incentive, examine how it is experienced and what happens to both the activity and the motivation behind it, rather than assuming that external rewards always help or always harm.