Stats paper 3
Mechanisms of External Motivators on Overall Performance Motivation
Sophia Lalani
University of Oklahoma
Abstract
The present study randomly assigned 34 participants to one of four conditions: increased pay, decreased pay, elimination of pay, and the same pay. The participants received two candy bars of their choice for their participation in the study. The participants were administered a math competency task, following a bogus evaluation of pay rate based on participant performance on the task. Upon being informed of the new pay rate, participants were given an evaluation measuring task motivation and enjoyment. The results showed that an increase in external motivators also increased task enjoyment and motivation for the participants. The implications of these findings are discussed. Keywords: motivation, task performance, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation
Mechanisms of External Motivators on Overall Performance Motivation
Many discoveries have shown that coupling a task with a reward increases the overall motivation of an individual. When external rewards are given for an activity that is initially intrinsically motivated, an individual shifts focus to the external source, leading him or her to become a pawn to the source of external rewards. The behavior of the individual is then motivated by the external reward, and as a result, intrinsic motivation decreases (Deci 1971). Deci (1971) found that money may act as a stimulus that leads participants to reevaluate an activity that is originally intrinsic in nature to one which is primarily motivated by external rewards.
Demurie, Roeyers, Beyens, and Sonuga-Barke (2011) conducted a study in which they compared the effects of monetary and social reward expectation on the reaction time of typically developing children with that of children with ADHD. It was found that monetary and social reward improved reaction time of the participants. Also, as the anticipated reward increased, the accuracy and
Sophia Lalani
University of Oklahoma
Abstract
The present study randomly assigned 34 participants to one of four conditions: increased pay, decreased pay, elimination of pay, and the same pay. The participants received two candy bars of their choice for their participation in the study. The participants were administered a math competency task, following a bogus evaluation of pay rate based on participant performance on the task. Upon being informed of the new pay rate, participants were given an evaluation measuring task motivation and enjoyment. The results showed that an increase in external motivators also increased task enjoyment and motivation for the participants. The implications of these findings are discussed. Keywords: motivation, task performance, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation
Mechanisms of External Motivators on Overall Performance Motivation
Many discoveries have shown that coupling a task with a reward increases the overall motivation of an individual. When external rewards are given for an activity that is initially intrinsically motivated, an individual shifts focus to the external source, leading him or her to become a pawn to the source of external rewards. The behavior of the individual is then motivated by the external reward, and as a result, intrinsic motivation decreases (Deci 1971). Deci (1971) found that money may act as a stimulus that leads participants to reevaluate an activity that is originally intrinsic in nature to one which is primarily motivated by external rewards.
Demurie, Roeyers, Beyens, and Sonuga-Barke (2011) conducted a study in which they compared the effects of monetary and social reward expectation on the reaction time of typically developing children with that of children with ADHD. It was found that monetary and social reward improved reaction time of the participants. Also, as the anticipated reward increased, the accuracy and
References: Deci, E. L. (1971). Effects of externally mediated rewards on intrinsic motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 18(1), 105-115. Demurie, E., Roeyers, H., Baeyens, D., & Sonuga-Barke, E. (2011). Common alterations in sensitivity to type but not amount of reward in ADHD and autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 52(11), 1164-1173. Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press. Liljeholm, M., & O’Doherty, J. P. (2012). Anything you can do, you can do better: Neural substrates of incentive-based performance enhancement. Plos Biology, 10(2). Suedfeld, P., & Epstein, Y. M. (1971). Where is the 'D ' in dissonance?. Journal Of Personality, 39(2), 178-188. Figure 1: Effects of rewards on motivation to perform task. Figure 2: Effects of rewards on change in motivation to perform task. Figure 3: Effects of rewards on task enjoyment. Figure 4: Effects of rewards on pay change contentment.