Extrinsic and Intrinsic motivation

Motivation can be understood as the invisible force that moves, activates or pushes people and causes them to act. It is something that incites a person into action and makes him continue the course of action with enthusiasm, to accomplish the desired goals.

Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation is when we are motivated to perform a behavior or engage in an activity because we want to earn a reward or avoid punishment. You will engage in behavior not because you enjoy it or because you find it satisfying, but because you expect to get something in return or avoid something unpleasant.

It is a form of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning uses reward or punishment so as to increase the likelihood of certain behaviour. It can be increment, fame, grades, recognition, appreciation, or threat of punishment etc.

This type of motivation is based on the fact that if human behaviour is positively rewarded for the work done, it tends to be repeated. Nevertheless, the reward of such behaviour has to be powerful and long-lasting so that it improves, its occurrence probability.

So far, monetary reward is regarded as the best incentive for desired behaviour. However, it has been argued that whether money actually motivates people or it simply pushes them to work. This can include higher pay, add on benefits like retirement plans, profit-sharing scheme, paid vacations, health insurance, food coupons, etc.

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation is when you engage in a behavior because you find it rewarding. You are performing an activity for its own sake rather than from the desire for some external reward. The behavior itself is its own reward.

Simply put, the motivation to adopt a certain behaviour comes from within, as it is naturally satisfying. It arises out of fun, challenge, interest, etc. The source of motivation is inherent to the task and so the person is automatically involved in the task.

Moreover, it is related to the state of self-actualization, wherein the contentment of attaining something invaluable motivates the person again, so the motivation is autogenerated and it has nothing to do with financial rewards.

Intrinsic motivation yields a high quality of work, the accomplishment of tasks in a timely manner, meeting challenges and gaining excellence in the task.