Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation

Success is the results of many factors. These factors include our surroundings, being at the right at the right time, having financial backing, natural aptitude and an entrepreneurial spirit. We sometimes read in the newspaper examples of ‘Rags to Riches’ success stories and wonder how these icons managed to become successful. In most of these stories we can find two important ingredients to success. They are extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.

 Extrinsic motivation involves external factors like the environment, rewards and encouragement. Extrinsic motivation is that thing within us which makes us want to excel. This is also known as innate motivation.

Studies have shown that both humans and animals respond well to encouragement and positive reinforcement. The Behaviourist theory emphasises positive reinforcement whereby rewards are given for preferred patterns of behaviour. A child who may not be academically inclined may actually improved, given the right amount of encouragement and support. Rewards that are meted out for good behaviour may go along way to encourage positive and acceptable behaviour. This is sometimes called ‘dangling in carrot’ approach. However, an overuse of extrinsic motivation may very well backfire. A child who is rewarded for every good thing that he was done may not be able to differentiate between what expectations and achievements are. This means that when he achieves a preferred actions, he expect to be rewards. He may actually not be motivated to do anything more unless there is a rewards waiting for him.

On the other hand intrinsic comes from within individual. It is the inner drive which propels a person to achieve. It is the push that makes an individual more successful than another. Intrinsic motivation may develop because a lack in certain areas or a strong desire motivation to succeed and to make something good out of his life. A child who desire to pursue tertiary education may be vary disciplined in the studies even at a young age. Intrinsic motivation can end up as a perfectionist. Nothing is good enough for him because he wants to be better all the time. He can also be very hard on himself because he expects himself to excel consistently. His expectations of other are also high as he constantly measures other against a yardstick of success that he has set. Because of this, disappointments and disagreement with another’s viewpoint are frequent. His measure of tolerance and accommodation of another’s weaknesses is also low.