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    Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

    内部动机与外部动机

    Concept
    Also called
    Intrinsic motivation, Extrinsic motivation

    Intrinsic motivation means doing something out of interest, enjoyment, or curiosity; extrinsic motivation means doing it for an outcome outside the activity, such as pay. Self-determination theory holds that extrinsic motivation varies in how autonomous it is.[1][3]

    Extrinsic motivation More controlledMore autonomous
    Intrinsic motivation Out of interest, enjoyment or curiosity

    Both relate to three basic psychological needs: Autonomy Competence Relatedness

    Meta-analysis of 128 experiments: effect on intrinsic motivation

    Point at or tap a row for details. Values are effect sizes (d) for free-choice behavior: whether people keep at the task in their own time.
    Top: extrinsic motivation runs from more controlled to more autonomous, with intrinsic motivation at the autonomous end. Bottom: how three kinds of reward and positive feedback affected intrinsic motivation in a meta-analysis. Point at or tap parts of the figure for details
    Top: extrinsic motivation runs from more controlled to more autonomous, with intrinsic motivation at the autonomous end. Bottom: how three kinds of reward and positive feedback affected intrinsic motivation in a meta-analysis. Save as image (PNG)

    Key points

    • Self-determination theory links both kinds of motivation to three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.[1]
    • Extrinsic motivation is not always pressured: people can come to value a task that is not interesting in itself and still do it with a sense of autonomy.[3]
    • In Deci’s 1971 experiment, people paid to solve puzzles later spent less free time on them, a larger drop than among unpaid participants, though the effect was only marginally significant.[3]
    • A meta-analysis of 128 studies found that expected, task-contingent rewards undermine intrinsic motivation, while positive feedback strengthens it.[2]

    An example

    Lin loves drawing and often spends whole weekend afternoons on it. After she starts taking paid commissions priced per piece, she notices she rarely feels like drawing when there is no order. She sets aside time each week to draw just for herself.

    Misreadings and limits

    A common misreading is that outside rewards are always harmful. The meta-analysis traced the undermining effect mainly to expected, task-contingent rewards, while positive feedback had the opposite effect. Extrinsic motivation can also be autonomous.[1][2]

    Sources

    1. 1 Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54–67. doi:10.1006/ceps.1999.1020
    2. 2 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. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.125.6.627
    3. 3 Ryan, R. M., Ryan, W. S., & Di Domenico, S. I. (2019). Beyond reinforcement: Deci (1971) on the effects of rewards on self-determination and intrinsic motivation. Center for Self-Determination Theory (selfdeterminationtheory.org), chapter PDF. View source

    Last checked against sources: October 26, 2026