Tips for Teachers

Extrinsic Rewards and Intrinsic Motivation in Education

By Edward L. Deci, Richard Koestner and Richard M. Ryan

Nov 04, 2024

Summary for Educators: “Extrinsic Rewards and Intrinsic Motivation in Education: Reconsidered Once Again” by Edward L. Deci, Richard Koestner, and Richard M. Ryan

In their influential paper Extrinsic Rewards and Intrinsic Motivation in Education, Edward L. Deci, Richard Koestner, and Richard M. Ryan reexamine the impact of external rewards on student motivation. Countering a prior meta-analysis by Cameron and Pierce, which claimed that extrinsic rewards do not significantly harm intrinsic motivation, the authors present compelling evidence that tangible rewards—like money, stickers, and awards—can in fact undermine a student’s natural desire to learn, especially among children.

Drawing on Cognitive Evaluation Theory (CET), the authors explain that rewards affect motivation depending on whether they are perceived as controlling or informational. If students perceive a reward as controlling, it diminishes their sense of autonomy and reduces intrinsic motivation. Conversely, rewards perceived as affirming or informational can sometimes enhance motivation—particularly when given in a way that supports student autonomy.

Key implications for classroom educators:

1. Use caution with tangible rewards:
   Rewards such as pizza parties, certificates, or prize boxes may momentarily encourage task completion but often reduce long-term interest and willingness to take on challenges. This is particularly problematic in elementary and middle grades, where intrinsic motivation is strongly linked to learning outcomes and positive adjustment.

2. Performance-contingent rewards are especially harmful:
   These rewards, which are directly tied to how well a student performs, send the message that value lies in achievement alone—not in the process of learning. This reinforces a transactional view of education and weakens students' intrinsic interest in the task.

3. Unexpected or task-noncontingent rewards are less damaging:
   Rewards that are not anticipated or not tied to task completion (e.g., class-wide celebrations) are less likely to be perceived as controlling and thus may not diminish motivation.

4. Verbal praise should be supportive, not controlling:
   Thoughtful, autonomy-supportive verbal feedback can enhance motivation, particularly among older students who interpret such feedback as encouragement rather than pressure. However, when praise is used manipulatively—such as to coerce effort—it can have the opposite effect.

5. Create autonomy-supportive environments:
   The most effective way to foster intrinsic motivation is by designing engaging, meaningful learning activities; offering choices; and maintaining appropriately challenging expectations. When students feel ownership over their learning, they are more likely to persist, explore, and enjoy the process of acquiring knowledge.

The authors argue that widely-used school practices involving extrinsic rewards may be counterproductive, especially given the strong connection between intrinsic motivation and high-quality learning. Their findings urge educators to rethink how they cultivate student engagement, shifting away from external incentives toward strategies that support curiosity, autonomy, and internal satisfaction.

Full article available at:
https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0033-2909.125.6.627

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com