Intrinsic motivation is a widely discussed concept, but to fully understand it, it's helpful to gain some perspective.
In 1975, Edward Deci published "Intrinsic Motivation," arguing that individuals are more motivated when they engage in activities voluntarily rather than being forced to do so.
Deci and Ryan further developed this theory over the next thirty years, refining the definition of its various concepts.
Intrinsic motivation is associated with the pleasure of action and doing something for its own sake, without expecting any external rewards. In contrast, extrinsic motivation is driven by the desire for the outcome or result of an action.
To some extent, intrinsic motivation can be compared to the concept of Flow proposed by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in 1975. Flow is a state of complete immersion in an activity, where time seems to vanish, and the body's sensations fade away.
Like intrinsic motivation, flow can be seen as autotelic, meaning it is self-fulfilling. It involves taking action for the sake of the action itself. In a way, it aligns with Aristotle's concept of Praxis.
In 2002, Deci and Ryan expanded the theory by adding two more basic psychological needs: the need for competence and the need for social relationships.
They also discovered that extrinsic motivation, which previously seemed to oppose the pleasure of intrinsic motivation, is more complex than it appears.
Extrinsic motivation arises from the expectation of the outcome of an action. However, it does not necessarily mean that extrinsic motivation is unpleasant. In fact, it can be quite the opposite.
Let's take the example of housework and explore different motivations for cleaning the living room:
- I clean because I enjoy it. Cleaning allows me to clear my mind and reflect on various thoughts.
- I clean because I value a clean and tidy house.
- I clean because I take pride in presenting my family with a beautiful home.
- I clean because my parents are coming for dinner, and I want to avoid any negative comments.
- I clean because my parents are coming for dinner, and I know they dislike dust.
- I choose not to clean because I simply don't like it or feel motivated to do so. Plus, nobody ever seems to notice the difference.
In this scenario, we have five reasons to clean and one reason to do nothing, which is referred to as amotivation - the absence of a reason to take action.
Moving on to the types of motivation defined by Deci and Ryan, we have:
- Intrinsic motivation, which drives us to act for the pleasure and enjoyment derived from the action itself.
- Extrinsic motivation with integrated regulation, where the result of the action brings personal pleasure.
- Extrinsic motivation with identified regulation, where the result aligns with our personal values.
- Extrinsic motivation with introjected regulation, where the result helps us avoid negative consequences or trouble.
- Externally regulated extrinsic motivation, where the result is required by someone else.
The categorization of extrinsic motivations has made the concept more complex. As a result, a new nomenclature has emerged, distinguishing between autonomous and controlled motivation.
- Autonomous motivation encompasses:
- Intrinsic motivation
- Extrinsic motivation with integrated regulation
- Extrinsic motivation with identified regulation
- Controlled motivation encompasses:
- Extrinsic motivation with introjected regulation
- Externally regulated extrinsic motivation
Autonomous motivation can now be understood as the desire to engage in activities for oneself, either due to the inherent enjoyment of the action itself (intrinsic) or the positive outcomes produced by the action (extrinsic).