Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

Abstract

Psychologists have posited two types of motivation theories. Dualistic theories divide motivation into two types: intrinsic and extrinsic. Multifaceted theories, in contrast, recognize a number of genetically distinct motives. Intrinsic-extrinsic dualism fails on at least three counts: construct validity, measurement reliability, and experimental control. Many researchers have thus moved beyond the study of intrinsic-extrinsic motivation and validated multifaceted theories. When teaching students about the multifaceted nature of motivation, teachers can take several steps to improve their students’ understanding of this understudied area of psychology