Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation is the motivation to do something for its own sake, for the sheer enjoyment of a task. Extrinsic motivation is the motivation to do something in order to attain some external goal or meet some externally imposed constraint. Feelings of self-determination, control, and satisfaction have long been linked to an intrinsically motivated state. Environmental constraints such as the imposition of time limits, an expected reward, or an impending evaluation can undermine feelings of self-determination engendering an extrinsic orientation. However, under some circumstances, certain forms of reward may enhance intrinsic motivation through a process of motivational synergy. Intrinsic motivation has been linked to creativity of performance, longer-lasting learning, and perseverance. The fostering of intrinsic motivation in adults is especially important given the emergence of the knowledge economy. Managing knowledge workers means building a community of employees who have positive emotions, a favorable view of their company, their job, and their colleagues, and strong intrinsic motivation. More work needs to be done to understand the determinants of motivation in the workplace, including studies focused on the link between affect and motivation, interpersonal intrinsic motivation among collaborators, and commonalities and differences across cultures. Keywords: intrinsic motivation; extrinsic motivation; self-determination; “flow”; motivational synergy; cultural differences in motivation; interpersonal intrinsic motivation; work motivation