Psychology: Definitions, branches and history

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology
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1PSYCHOLOGY
Option 6: Differentiate between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Provide an
example of when you were either intrinsically or extrinsically motivated.
According to self-determination theory, list the 3 basic needs. Why is the
satisfaction of these needs important?
Extrinsic motivations are when people are motivated to perform certain tasks
or behave in a certain way so that they are able to earn some reward or avoid a
punishment. This kind of work is not done because the person enjoys it or is
satisfying to them. Rather they perform these jobs so that they can avoid an
unpleasant outcome or get something in exchange of it. Intrinsic motivation on the
other hand are activities or work that individuals enjoy or is rewarding to them as it is
pleasurable for them (Legault, 2016). This kind of activity is carried out not out of any
expectation of reward or avoiding punishment but for the pleasure that the work
g9ives. The activity in itself is the reward that they get.
The basic difference between these two kinds of motivation is the source of
the activities or the kind of activity that is performed. For example, when people
engage in some sport activities because they enjoy the experience it is known as
intrinsic motivation while when people engage in the same activity for prize or
winning money it is known as extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation can be used
to drive people to do things that they do not want but will eventually do due to the
reward that they will get (Kuvaas et al., 2017). For me, I am intrinsically motivated to
read books that I like. I have always been a book lover and have read voraciously.
Reading books gives me pleasure and happiness for which I read whenever I get
time. They do not give me any reward in material sense but the pleasure is my
reward.