What is extrinsic motivation and how does it help us

What is extrinsic motivation and how does it help usWhat is extrinsic motivation and how does it help usIf you are driven by the thought of receiving a reward, whether it be praise,money, or public acclaim, you are responding to extrinsicmotivation. It occurs when external factors inspire you to take action - and dont necessarily need to be something tangible. Something abstract, such as the anticipation of receiving praise or the thought of gaining public bedrngnisoriety, can boost a persons motivation to accomplish a task.For many, this takes the fasson of receiving a paycheck for a job. While you may desire to spend your day doing something leisurely or fun outside ofwork, receiving a paycheck allows you to afford your monthly expenses and have those desired experiences outside of work. Therefore, most of us typically set aside time for your job each week as a result.While this form of motivation can certainly propel you to take action in some instances, intrinsic motivation is t ypically a more powerful incentive for behaviors that require higher dedication over the long term. If the goal of achieving personal growth fuels your motivation to succeed, you experience a more meaningful form of motivation.Types of Extrinsic RewardsWhen you imagine extrinsic motivation, you likely think of being motivated by some type of known, external reward, such as money or an award. But these rewards can be both concrete and psychological in nature. An example of thispsychologicalform includes fame, praise, and recognition. Whether you are a performer seeking acclaim from an audience after a production wraps or are a child expecting praise from a parent for making their bed, nearly anyone can feel driven by these perceptions.Does Extrinsic Motivation Work?While extrinsic motivation can be a powerful tool for some people, its best applied only in certain situations. A person might accept a position because of the higher pay and benefits, for instance, working long hours each week to accomplish someone elsesgoal. Maybe you shop with a store loyalty card to rack up the points, discounts and prizes or even use a specific leistungspunkt card to accumulate cash rewards. These are all areas where you are acting because of an external award. But many caution that being driven by rewards and compensation alone is unsustainable over the long term.This type of reward should be used sparingly, as the value for a certainbehaviorcan be weakened over time. Deemed overjustification, a kind of saturation occurs when a person enjoys a reward so often that they lose interest. In fact, in onestudy, researchers found that research participants were less likely to engage in helpful behaviors if they received too many material rewards.External vs. Intrinsic MotivationIntrinsic motivation is the contrast to external motivation in every possible way, as it refers to a persons behavior being driven by an internal desire. Unlike external rewards, researchers have discovered tha t people are more creative, productive and do a better job when they are motivated internally. Studies also show that offering external rewards for an internally rewarding activity can make it less intrinsically rewarding.Think about your motivation right now reading this piece. Do you have a genuine interest in psychology and want to gain a better understanding about this particular topic? If so, you are acting based on an intrinsic desire to acquireknowledge. Are you reading this for some kind of report or for your job? If so, you are likely motivated by wanting to avoid a bad grade or for the possibility of recognition in the workplace. When you do something just for the pure enjoyment of the activity itself, you are intrinsically motivated.To increase your level of intrinsic motivation, consider the followingfactorsPeople are more motivated when they are challenged by pursuing goals with personal meaningCuriosity stimulates a persons desire to learn morePeople look for areas of control over themselves and their environmentsCompetition and team collaboration can increase performance through comparisonRecognition can reinforce and increase internal motivationUnderstanding the Impact of MotivationIts no secret that extrinsic motivation has the power to influence a persons behavior and actions, but due to the overjustification effect, its impact has very clear boundaries. When engaging in new activities, it can be valuable to understand what type of motivation youre experiencing Is it intrinsic or extrinsic? In doing so, youll start to get a sense of what drives you to accomplish something and can take a closer look at why you pursue certain activities over others.Working toward an external reward can still be valuable - especially if you find a task or activity unengaging or uninteresting. A desire to earn a paycheck, for instance, may help you stay on task remain focused no matter how boring the job may be. Why not try a mixture of both extrinsic and intrin sic motivation, recognizing the unique qualities that each can elicit.This article was originally published on Talkspace.