extrinsic motivation

Explore the 4 types of extrinsic motivation and understand how external incentives influence behavior. Learn strategies for leveraging external rewards effectively.

1. External Regulation:

It’s like an intentional behavior or activity but controlled by external sources or factors. For example, We can see parents telling kids about the rewards they will get after getting specific grades. Intentionally you do the studying as you want to. But, mostly, your studying will be controlled by the rewards waiting for you.

2. Introjected Regulation:

You do it under internal pressure. It could be due to false ego, self-esteem issues, guilt, worry, peer appreciations, approval, validation, and sorts. People do it under an obligation and not because they want to. People know that they have chosen it intentionally to do. Yet, it is not a choice of self-intent.

3. Regulation through Identification:

It’s a more positive side of extrinsic motivation. It’s like people do things by believing in goodwill.

For Example, Consider a Student.

A) The student will have a conscious decision to go to college. It’s like a self-selected goal. It motivates them to study hard and get grades. They do it intentionally but with an external motivating factor.

B) A major difference here. ‘I want to go to college’ is different. ‘I want to go to college as everyone’s going’ is different. The former is regulation through identification.

4. Integrated Regulation:

It’s a wonderful type of motivation. Here, the person will self-reflect, understand the reason, and see if it matches their values and needs. Finally, they take action. Though it is a confident decision, an individual runs through all options and external factors. It influences them.

Discover facts about extrinsic motivation and the role of external incentives in driving behavior. Explore how rewards and recognition influence performance.

Is extrinsic motivation totally bad? No. It has some positive sides, too. Here are:

11 facts about Extrinsic Motivation:

1.) Things will not be under your control to process it.

2.) When you are extrinsically motivated, you end up doing things that will not give you a feeling of content.

3.) You will find more restrictions and coercion.

4.) External factors could change. At some point, you will feel like stopping it or quitting it. But, when you are genuinely motivated, you keep going longer.

5.) Peoples stop performing when they don’t find enough rewards.

6.) In some cases, when there are no impactful results or if they don’t care about it anymore, people stop.

7.) Extrinsic motivation will not guarantee a solid success for a long time.

8.) Extrinsic Motivation works well under business establishments.

9.) Thought it solely requires intrinsic motivation, some areas could use extrinsic motivating factors too. For Example Sports, Education, Studying, Job, Fitness, and sometimes even in healthy people, we could use some extrinsic motivation.

10.) If Extrinsic Motivating factors are more appreciative, positive, helpful, and supportive, people can be very well produced.

11.) Extrinsic motivation could be fruitful when combined i.e., Giving rewards in addition to making people feel like ‘it’s worth it’ is a wonderful strategy.

Though extrinsic motivation has some downsides, it can be productive when used rightly.