Motivation Comes From Within

Nov 11, 2011 Posted by Bob Sullo In Rewards - External vs. Internal Motivation Tagged choice theory, internal motivation, positive reinforcement Comments 1

In “Choice Theory,” I state “Choice Theory contends that we are internally motivated, not externally motivated by rewards and punishment.” A reader recently suggested that I was naïve to suggest that we are not motivated by rewards and punishments. I’d like to take the opportunity to better explain what I mean when I say that we aren’t motivated by rewards and punishments. I hope an example will help.

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Perseverance and The Relentless Pursuit of McNuggets!

Jul 21, 2011 Posted by Bob Sullo In Choice Theory, Educators, Featured, Gurus, Parents, Rewards - External vs. Internal Motivation Tagged choice theory, internal motivation, teachers Comments 0

A person who has been in several of my workshops over the years and is well acquainted with my feelings about the negative impact of external rewards, recently wrote to me about an awards ceremony at her child’s school. She asked to remain anonymous but wanted her story shared with others. Here’s what she wrote:

I couldn’t help but think of you, Bob, when I went to an awards ceremony at my daughter’s school a couple of months ago. I know you aren’t a fan of school-wide events where the “winners” sit on the stage while the “losers” sit in the audience. But this one seemed different and I thought to myself, “Even Bob might not object to this format.” My daughter was being recognized for demonstrating perseverance, a character trait the school was promoting with children. The ceremony was only attended by the students being honored and any family member who could attend, So instead of having “winners” and “losers,” every kid there was being recognized.

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Self-Control: The Key to Happiness

Apr 26, 2011 Posted by Bob Sullo In Gurus, Rewards - External vs. Internal Motivation Tagged choice theory, external motivation, internal motivation Comments 0

Self Control

I am frequently asked for evidence that internal control psychology/choice theory is effective. It’s a fair question. After all, if what I espouse doesn’t help us get to a better place, why would anyone want to learn about it and apply it?

When I do parents workshops, I generally ask parents what they want for their kids. Their comments vary slightly, but all parents want their kids to be successful. Interestingly, the things most parents want for their kids have now been researched as part of an impressive longitudinal study. Research headed by Duke University’s Avshalom Caspi followed 1000 children for 32 years in Dunedin, New Zealand.

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External Motivation – The Quick Fix that Doesn’t Last

Apr 26, 2011 Posted by Bob Sullo In Gurus, Rewards - External vs. Internal Motivation Tagged choice theory, external motivation Comments 0

Alfie Kohn reviews some compelling research in a recent article, “Studies Support Rewards, Homework, and Traditional Teaching. Or Do They?” Kohn looks at three practices traditionally aligned with the carrot and stick approach to education: external rewards, homework, and direct instruction. Over the years, research appeared to routinely support these practices. Fortunately, Kohn has dug a little deeper – as usual – and unearthed studies that examined the effect of these “tried and true’ practices over time.

The results may surprise you, especially if you are one of the many who believe in the value of external control psychology and have been misled by the short-term research that has inundated the literature. Kohn cites six studies that suggest these external approaches were ineffective (if not detrimental) over time. The majority of the studies focused on schools but one looked at the impact of incentive pay for employees.

Here are a few of the highlights:

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External Rewards: Some Hidden Costs

Apr 15, 2011 Posted by Bob Sullo In Educators, Gurus, Kids, Parents, Rewards - External vs. Internal Motivation Tagged choice theory, external motivation, internal motivation Comments 0

Providing an external reward for learning is so pervasive that most of us never even consider the potential downside. In an earlier post – “Internal Motivation: Present from Birth” - I suggested that external rewards can actually interfere with learning. How can such a “common sense” practice as rewarding desirable behavior be so counterproductive?

Let’s start with the findings of noted researcher Teresa Amabile. In Growing Up Creative: Nurturing a Lifetime of Creativity Amabile states, “Extrinsic motivation inhibits intrinsic motivation.” In other words, if we want to promote intrinsic motivation, one of the least effective things to do is utilize external motivators. Furthermore, after reviewing two dozen studies that spanned twenty years, Amabile concludes that reward systems negatively impact the quality of work produced. So research repeatedly suggests that external rewards lead to lower quality and reduce intrinsic motivation.

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Internal Motivation: Present From Birth

Apr 15, 2011 Posted by Bob Sullo In Educators, Gurus, Kids, Parents, Rewards - External vs. Internal Motivation Tagged child development, choice theory, internal motivation Comments 1

There is a common belief that internal motivation emerges as children mature. Most people have no trouble accepting that adolescents are internally motivated but cling to the notion that younger children are motivated externally. The truth is that we are motivated from the inside out from the moment we are born.

If you are skeptical, just observe an infant for a while and you’ll see internal motivation in action. It may have been simple luck that led the infant to hit that mobile in his crib, but once he hears the sound it makes or sees it move, he wants to make it happen again and again. He will amuse himself for hours, attempting to hit the mobile, recreating the sights and sounds he finds so amusing. There are no “Student of the Month” awards given if he succeeds. There are no promises of an increased allowance. What drives the infant is an innate desire to demonstrate competence, to be able to do something he couldn’t do before. That’s why when a youngster learns a new skill, they want to repeat it again and again (and again, ad nauseum). It doesn’t matter if anyone watches and “reinforces” the behavior. Demonstrating competence is its own reward. We feel tremendous pleasure when we master something new.

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