Intrinsic motivation is the drive to perform an activity for the inherent satisfaction that is derived from it and not for a separable consequence (Ryan & Deci, 2000). When one is intrinsically motivated, they do something because it is challenging and fun and not because of external rewards, pressures, or prods. In contrast, external motivation is the drive to perform an activity because of a separable consequence. In particular, people who are extrinsically motivated do something because of external forces, examples of which can include rewards or punishments. In other words, intrinsically motivated people are rewarded with intangible gains, such as self-fulfillment, a positive experience, and a positive self-regard, while extrinsically motivated people are rewarded with tangible gains, such as good grades, gifts, or money.
When applied to the learning theories, it can be seen that extrinsic motivation is involved in the behaviorist theories, as people learn behaviors through positive and negative reinforces or through rewards and punishments (University of California Berkely, 2011). More specifically, rewards encourage the repetition of a particular behavior while punishments curtail the said behavior. For example, the promise of a gift for getting good grades can motivate a learner to do well in class while being grounded for unreasonably missing classes can prevent the student from repeating the said behavior. On the other hand, intrinsic motivation is involved in the cognitive constructivist theories, as learners are responsible for setting their own goals and for motivating themselves to learn. For example, intrinsically motivated students join various school organizations because of their desire to expand their knowledge, even when such activities are not required. Finally, both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are involved in social constructivist theories, as the learning motives and goals are determined by both the individual learner and by the extrinsic rewards that the learner obtains from the knowledge community. For example, a student who’s from a family of lawyers may be motivated to become a lawyer, too, in order to gain self-fulfillment and to gain their family’s approval.
References
Ryan, R. M. & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and
new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, 54-67.
http://gsi.berkeley.edu/teachingguide/theories/overview.html.
