Attribution theorists have argued that if an intrinsically motivated activity is extrinsically reinforced, the activity will be devalued and extinguished when the reward is removed. Hypothesizing that activities performed for their instrumental outcome are valued less than activities not so externally oriented, and that activities performed for their instrumental outcome are primarily concerned with satisfying Maslow-type lower needs, a questionnaire was developed to measure activities and their rated values. College students (N=41) completed the questionnaire and participated in an interview to determine the perceived utility (primary reason for engaging in the activity) and the level of need the activity satisfied. Statistical analyses showed that the majority of responses for instrumental activities served the more basic needs of the Maslow hierarchy, while the majority of responses for intrinsic motivations served the higher order needs, mostly self-actualization. The hypothesis that activities performed for their instrumental outcome would be devalued was not supported, although the means tended toward that direction. (WAS)
Authors
- Peer Reviewed
- F
- Publication Type
- ['Reports - Research', 'Speeches/Meeting Papers']
- Published in
- United States of America
Table of Contents
- DOCUMENT RESUME 2
- ED 234 320 2
- AUTHOR A Study of Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation in 15p. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the Southwestern Psychological Association 29th San Reports - ResearchTechnical 143 -- 2
- Elbel Jacquelyn Horton Irene P. PUB DATE Antonio TX April 21-23 1983. PUB TYPE 2
- TITLE College Students. Apr 83 NOTE 2
- EDRS PRICE MFOIPCOI Plus Postage. 2
- IDENTIFIERS 2
- ABSTRACT 2
- Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made 2
- FIGURE 13
- MEAN RATING FOR EACH OF THE FOUR PERCEIVED 13
- UTILITY CATEGORIES FOR BOTH MALES AND 13
- SUM OF ALL WITHIN CATEGORY RATINGS 14
- SUMMED RATINGS FOR INTRINSICALLY 14
- AND EXTRINSICALLY MOTIVATED BEHAVIOR 14
- FOR BOTH MALES AND FEMALES 14
- EACH PERCEIVED UTILITY CATEGORY FOR BOTH 15
- MALES AND FEMALES. 15
- CATEGORY FOR BOTH MALES AND FEMALES. 16
