Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation

As parents and educators, we want to encourage our children and students to work hard, make good choices, complete their responsibilities, and persevere when things get difficult. Sometimes we use rewards, praise, or consequences to help motivate them. Other times, we hope they will learn to do something simply because it is important or meaningful.

Psychologist categorize motivation into two different categories: extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation.

Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation comes from outside of us. A child may complete homework to earn screen time, study and do well on a test to receive praise, or follow a rule to avoid a consequence.

Rewards, praise, and consequences can be helpful especially when children are learning new habits, responsibilities, and boundaries. However, if children are always rewarded for doing something, they may begin to focus more on “What do I get?” rather than “Why does this matter?”

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation comes from within. Children do something because they enjoy it or understand its importance. A child might read because they enjoy the story, practice a sport because they like improving, or help someone because being kind reflects the person they want to be.

How to Encourage Intrinsic Motivation?

• Explain the why: “We clean up because we all share this space.”

• Praise effort: “You kept trying even when that was difficult!”

• Notice growth: “Remember when this was hard? Look how much you’ve improved!”

• Connect actions to values: “How do you think helping others makes a difference?”

The goal isn’t to eliminate rewards or consequences. Rather, we want to gradually help children move from “I have to” or “What do I get?” toward “I understand why this matters, and I want to do it.”

When children develop that internal sense of purpose, they are building skills that can serve them long after the external rewards are gone.

Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

 Amanda Fedor

School Counselor at Saint Patrick Catholic School

afedor@stpatrickeducenter.org