Intrinsic Motivation

1
Intrinsic Motivation Creativity

• September 22, 2005

2
Review

• Intrinsic motivation refers to the desire to work
  on something out of pure enjoyment while
  extrinsic motivation refers to the desire to work
  on something in order to obtain an external
  reward.
• Intrinsic motivation stimulates creativity while
  extrinsic motivation kills creativity.

3
Questions Raised

• If a person already loves doing an activity then
  why would an external reward influence his/her
  behavior?
• Is there a way to motivate people without
  resorting to extrinsic rewards since all rewards
  are inherently external?
• Are all types of extrinsic motivators equally
  harmful?

4
Revising the Theory

• Some types of extrinsic motivators may combine
  with intrinsic motivators to enhance creativity.
• Holds under 2 conditions
• An individuals level of intrinsic motivation is
  initially high.
• Certain types of extrinsic motivators are used.

5
Controlling Extrinsic Motivators

• Doing something in order to meet someone elses
  demands or achieve a goal outside of getting the
  problem solved.
• Advancing ones career
• Gaining reputation status
• Gaining a pay increase
• Controlling extrinsic motivators decrease
  intrinsic motivation.

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Informational Extrinsic Motivators

• Reward people by giving them information about
  how to improve their performance
• Confirms their competence to do their job well.
• Confirms the value of their work.
• Assuming the individual wants to be successful,
  then additional information will motivate them to
  continue their work.

7
Enabling Extrinsic Motivators

• When the reward itself is directly tied to the
  persons involvement in the work itself.
• Public recognition for making significant
  contributions that are valued by the work
  community.
• Rewarding people with additional resources to
  complete their work.
• Assuming people enjoy their work, then external
  praise should motivate them further.

8
Motivating Creativity

• Intrinsic motivation stimulates creativity while
  extrinsic motivation is detrimental to
  creativity.
• But, informational or enabling extrinsic
  motivators can stimulate creativity if a person
  is already intrinsically motivated.
• Build high levels of intrinsic motivation and
  then give extrinsic motivators to reinforce
  peoples natural interest.

9
Remaining Questions?

• Is this model more practical/realistic or does it
  just raise more problems?
• Are there any additional circumstances that this
  model cannot account for?
• Are intrinsic and extrinsic motivators negatively
  correlated?

10
Brainstorming Activity

• Next week begin to explore group creativity.
• Brainstorming activity will be the basis for our
  discussion next week.
• Divide into groups of 4.