Extrinsic Motivation Research Articles

The strategic allocation theory of vigilance.

Despite its importance in different occupational and everyday contexts, vigilance, typically defined as the capacity to sustain attention over time, is remarkably limited. What explains these limits? Two theories have been proposed. The Overload Theory states that being vigilant consumes limited information-processing resources; when depleted, task performance degrades. The Underload Theory states that motivation to perform vigilance tasks declines over time, thereby prompting attentional shifts and hindering performance. We highlight some conceptual and empirical problems for both theories and propose an alternative: the Strategic Allocation Theory. For the Strategic Allocation Theory, performance on vigilance tasks optimizes as a function of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, including metacognitive factors such as the expected value of effort and the expected value of planning. Limited capacities must be deployed across task sets to maximize expected reward. The observed limits of vigilance reflect changes in the perceived value of, among other things, sustaining attention to a task rather than attending to something else. Drawing from recent computational theories of cognitive control and meta-reasoning, we argue that the Strategic Allocation Theory explains more phenomena related to vigilance behavior than other theories, including self-report data. Finally, we outline some of the testable predictions the theory makes across several experimental paradigms. This article is categorized under: Philosophy > Foundations of Cognitive Science Psychology > Attention.

Associations between motivational factors and burnout syndrome among elite skiers

The present research investigated the association between a series of motivational factors and burnout syndrome among elite skiers at the contextual level within the Hierarchical Model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation (HMIEM). There are 352 subjects (258 males, 94 females, aged 18 to 25 years) across five skiing events from three sport universities in this study. Four psychological scales related to motivational factors and burnout syndrome were completed by subjects. Overall, the result showed that a task-involving climate had a positive relationship with basic psychological needs, eliciting a positive pathway to autonomous motivation, and thus negatively affecting burnout syndromes. On the other hand, an ego-involving climate had a negative relationship with basic psychological needs, eliciting a negative pathway to amotivation, and then positively affecting burnout syndromes. The results underscore the intricate associations between a variety of motivational factors and athletes’ burnout syndrome, supporting the need to incorporate burnout syndrome elements into the outcomes of HMIEM sequence.

For Grades or for Learning? Influence of Academic Orientations on Vietnamese Undergraduates' Learning Strategy Use and Mental Well-Being

<p style="text-align:justify">The use of grades as an extrinsic motivator in formal schooling has been demonstrated in previous research to have negative implications for students’ learning and mental health. This subject matter has been particularly absent from the research literature in Vietnam, where the obsession with grades is self-evident. The present study aims to explore Vietnamese university students’ orientations toward learning and grades, learning strategy use, mental well-being, and how these variables correlate. In addition, the study examines the potential interplay between learning orientation and grade orientation to influence the latter two variables. A quantitative research design was employed to achieve these goals. Survey responses were collected from 38 second- and third-year students majoring in English Language at a large, public university during a summer semester. Specifically for learning strategy use, participants were directed to pull from their experiences in a Public Speaking course that they had completed in the previous semester. Results revealed that a learning orientation was moderately related to both adaptive learning strategy use and mental wellness, whereas a grade orientation was only negatively related to learning strategy use and unrelated to mental well-being. Moreover, a strong learning orientation alone resulted in the most positive outcomes for both learning and mental health, and higher levels of grade orientation weakened those outcomes. Limitations of the study, directions for future research in this area, and implications for students and educators are then discussed. </p>

Modeling engagement with a digital behavior change intervention (HeartSteps II): An exploratory system identification approach

ObjectiveDigital behavior change interventions (DBCIs) are feasibly effective tools for addressing physical activity. However, in-depth understanding of participants’ long-term engagement with DBCIs remains sparse. Since the effectiveness of DBCIs to impact behavior change depends, in part, upon participant engagement, there is a need to better understand engagement as a dynamic process in response to an individual’s ever-changing biological, psychological, social, and environmental context. MethodsThe year-long micro-randomized trial (MRT) HeartSteps II provides an unprecedented opportunity to investigate DBCI engagement among ethnically diverse participants. We combined data streams from wearable sensors (Fitbit Versa, i.e., walking behavior), the HeartSteps II app (i.e. page views), and ecological momentary assessments (EMAs, i.e. perceived intrinsic and extrinsic motivation) to build the idiographic models. A system identification approach and a fluid analogy model were used to conduct autoregressive with exogenous input (ARX) analyses that tested hypothesized relationships between these variables inspired by Self-Determination Theory (SDT) with DBCI engagement through time. ResultsData from 11 HeartSteps II participants was used to test aspects of the hypothesized SDT dynamic model. The average age was 46.33 (SD=7.4) years, and the average steps per day at baseline was 5,507 steps (SD=6,239). The hypothesized 5-input SDT-inspired ARX model for app engagement resulted in a 31.75 % weighted RMSEA (31.50 % on validation and 31.91 % on estimation), indicating that the model predicted app page views almost 32 % better relative to the mean of the data. Among Hispanic/Latino participants, the average overall model fit across inventories of the SDT fluid analogy was 34.22 % (SD=10.53) compared to 22.39 % (SD=6.36) among non-Hispanic/Latino Whites, a difference of 11.83 %. Across individuals, the number of daily notification prompts received by the participant was positively associated with increased app page views. The weekend/weekday indicator and perceived daily busyness were also found to be key predictors of the number of daily application page views. ConclusionsThis novel approach has significant implications for both personalized and adaptive DBCIs by identifying factors that foster or undermine engagement in an individual’s respective context. Once identified, these factors can be tailored to promote engagement and support sustained behavior change over time.

Citation-Based Analysis of Studies on Physical Education Teachers: A Bibliometric Study

Teaching is a profession that has been exercised since ancient times and has not lost its popularity. Knowledge has been transmitted through teaching throughout the ages. Today, teaching has become even more important due to rapidly changing information trends. This study aims to provide a general assessment of the research being carried out on teaching physical education between 2013 and 2023. In the study, foreign-language articles were searched in the Web of Science database. They were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 2145 studies were analysed. Bibliometric analysis is one of the quantitative research methods. The Vosviewer programme was used for the analyses. As a result of the search, some authors such as Richards, Kevin Andrew and Haerens, Leen are the most cited authors, the most cited studies in this area were reached in 2022, authors such as Pill, Shane and Vansteenkiste Maarten are among the most cited authors, Ryan and Deci's "Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions" by Ryan and Deci is the most cited work and Turkey is a cited country in research. It is believed that the results of this study will provide an important resource for understanding the existing literature in this area and provide a basis for future research.

Evidence for the Beneficial Effect of Reward on Working Memory: A Meta-Analytic Study.

Rewards act as external motivators and can improve performance in various cognitive tasks. However, previous research demonstrated mixed findings regarding the effect of reward on working memory (WM) performance, and the question of whether reward enhances WM performance is arguable. It remains unclear how the effect of reward on WM can be influenced by various factors, such as types of reward and experimental paradigms. In this meta-analytic study, we systematically investigated the effect of reward on WM by analyzing data from 51 eligible studies involving a total of 1767 participants. Our results showed that reward robustly enhanced WM performance, with non-monetary rewards inducing more benefits than monetary rewards. This may be because, while both types of reward could induce extrinsic motivation, non-monetary rewards enhanced intrinsic motivation while monetary rewards reduced it. Notably, all three reward methods-reward binding, reward expectation, and subliminal reward-effectively improved WM performance, with the reward binding paradigm exhibiting the greatest effects. This finding suggests that the reward effect can be attributed to both increasing the total amount of WM resources and improving the flexibility of resource reallocation. Moreover, the type of WM, the experimental paradigms, and the outcome measures are three moderators that should be jointly considered when assessing the reward effects on WM. Overall, this meta-analytic study provides solid evidence that reward improves WM performance and reveals possible mechanisms underlying these improvements.

Nudging pro-environmental behaviour in a subsidized waste recycling system: A field experimental study

This study explores the effect of nudging within a recycling system that views households as rational actors swayed by economic incentives to foster pro-environmental behaviour. In a field experiment involving over 10,000 Latvian households, we invited them to sign up for recyclables containers by emphasizing either the economic gains or losses associated with such a move. Alternatively, households were primed with social norms or received a message that altered the choice architecture by explicitly asking for feedback. Our findings complement the development of behavioural theories by demonstrating how intrinsic and extrinsic motivations interact with systemic factors. While all interventions increased container uptake relative to the no-message condition, the majority of households remained non-responsive. This indifference underscores the limitations of subsidized waste recycling systems, illustrating how minor alterations in contextual elements and choice architecture may not suffice to instigate meaningful behavioural shifts within such structured frameworks. The results emphasize that significant pro-environmental behaviour requires more than just nudging or financial incentives; nudges are crucial in highlighting systemic shortcomings and pointing towards more effective engagement strategies.

Improved socio-emotional skills in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) following an intervention supported by an augmented gamified environment

This study examines the impact of an intervention using an Augmented Gamified Environment (AGE) to stimulate socio-emotional skills in a sample of 54 subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged between 3 and 17 years old. The study used a quantitative, exploratory, analytical methodology. Socio-emotional skills were evaluated before and after intervention (pre-posttest) using the DiagnosticApp instrument, supported by a fun app. The study specifically analyzed their ability to identify primary and secondary emotions and emotional states, as well as the cause-effect relationship linked to a context. The results show that socio-emotional skills improved after the intervention, regardless of gender, age, degree of ASD, comorbidity, or type of language. Overall, the greatest improvement was in identifying both primary and secondary emotions through recognizing facial expressions. Additionally, as expected, older students, and those with less severe ASD and more functional language exhibited higher scores in their socio-emotional skills. In conclusion, the extrinsic motivation associated with the mix of game mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics, along with the augmented reality resources making up the AGE, are key contributing elements in improving these students’ socio-emotional skills.

A Review Towards a Conceptual Model on Transactional Oriented Selling In High Involvement Purchases: Gem And Jewellery Industry in Sri Lanka

The aim of this review paper is to analyze the repercussion of transactional oriented selling in high involvement purchase situation pertaining to Sri Lanka gem and jewelry industry (SLGJ hereafter). A conceptual framework concerning the characteristics of transactional selling and the effect of these characteristics on high involvement purchase in relation to current stance of selling were developed. The characteristics of professional selling needed in a revamped stance of selling were constructed. The current stance of selling is based on right set of circumstance theory of selling (situation-response theory), which incorporates the scrutinization of typology of communication, mode of handling objections and motivational factors relating to sales people’s behavior. The relationship between the current stance of selling and sales people’s behavior entails communication foci: rational influence, emotional influence, coercive influence and relational influence tactics, handling objections: creating strife, offsetting the objection, clarifying the objection, using miscellaneous objections and motivational factors: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. The theoretical foundation of the revamped stance is the buying formula theory, which inquires the required nature of selling to raise the level of high involvement purchase situation. The revamped stance is in relation with possible approaches and of responsible industry best practices with execution of professional selling with a focus on customer orientation. The integration of characteristics of transactional selling in high involvement purchase situation in line with the situation-response theory with possible approaches and execution of industry best practices in accordance with buying formula theory leads to developing a conceptual model which underpins the current rippling of transactional oriented selling in SLGJ to practice and execute the industry best practices required to revamp and raise the selling standards of SLGJ industry. Authors adopted a systematic review of literature based on a deductive research approach in compiling this paper. A summarized version of discussion was developed towards the end together with the propositions to be considered in future research and the implications for practitioners.

Connecting the dots: exploring the role of ebullient supervision in fostering knowledge sharing through curiosity and informal learning

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine curiosity as a distal predictor of knowledge sharing facilitated by informal learning. It also probes the boundary conditions imposed by ebullient supervision in the influence of curiosity on knowledge sharing.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data through a two-wave survey of 349 knowledge workers in the IT sector and used structural equation modeling to analyze the data.FindingsThe results indicated a positive relationship between curiosity and knowledge sharing. In particular, informal learning was found to mediate the relationship between curiosity and knowledge sharing and ebullient supervision was identified as a significant condition that strengthens the effect of curiosity on informal learning.Practical implicationsOrganizations can promote knowledge sharing by harnessing curiosity as an intrinsic motivator for employees to engage in informal learning. Moreover, the findings identified ebullient supervision as an extrinsic motivator within the work environment, suggesting its potential to enhance the impact of curiosity on knowledge sharing.Originality/valueThis paper broadens the limited literature on ebullient leadership by revealing how it strengthens the effects of curiosity and informal learning on knowledge sharing.

Playing towards Motivation: Gamification and University Students in Physical Activity!

There is currently concern about the decrease in physical activity participation among university students. To address this issue, different pedagogical approaches have been developed to improve participants’ motivation, with gamification standing out among them. Gamification integrates game design elements into learning environments to increase responsibility, motivation, and engagement in physical activities in different educational stages through intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, although evidence is limited and diverse. Therefore, this study investigates how gamification affects the motivational profile of university students in the context of physical activity. The study was conducted with university students of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences (n = 72), using an experimental design that included a gamified group (GG) and a control group (CG) without gamification. A questionnaire was used to measure motivation before and after the intervention. The results showed a significant increase in intrinsic motivation and a decrease in amotivation in the gamified group, while no significant changes were observed in the control group. However, there were increases in extrinsic motivation in both groups. These findings suggest that gamification can be effective in improving intrinsic motivation and reducing amotivation in university students for physical activity as well as enhancing extrinsic motivation considering the rewards used.

Internet-based infrastructures and online architectural education on design studios: perceived instructional strategies and students engagement

The current study investigated the impact of perceived instructional strategies in online design studios on student engagement as a multidimensional construct. Given the rapid shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding effective teaching strategies and their impacts on student engagement is crucial for enhancing overall student outcomes. The study also examined the role of learning motivation as a mediator in these relationships. A mixed-methods approach was employed, measuring a second-order construct of student engagement based on three reflective dimensions: cognitive, affective, and behavioral. Qualitative interviews with instructors revealed three main instructional strategies utilized in online design studios: learning by doing, learning with interaction, and learning from feedback. The present study analyzed self-report survey responses from 230 undergraduate architecture students across four major universities in Iran, utilizing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Based on the results, the perceived learning by doing (PLD) and learning with interaction (PLI) significantly improve student engagement. In contrast, the perceived learning from feedback (PLF) fails to influence student engagement directly. Additionally, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation mediated the impact of PLI and PLF on student engagement. These findings highlight the importance of effective instructional strategies in online design studios. Additionally, the results provide valuable insights for future pedagogical practices in online education, offering guidance for instructors aiming to enhance student outcomes in this dynamic learning environment.

Healthcare professional motivation in Poland and Ukraine: The role of profession, gender, and country

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation among medical students, doctors, and nurses in two countries – Ukraine and Poland. As a secondary aim, gender differences were considered as well. During 2019, until the beginning of 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic started, healthcare professionals from two hospitals and medical students from one university in Poland and healthcare professionals from two hospitals and medical students from one university in Ukraine were recruited to participate in the study. The Wilcoxon test for paired samples was used to compare each participant’s score on the intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation sub-scales. Differences were examined by country, gender, profession, and combinations of these factors. In Poland, 142 doctors, nurses, and medical students were recruited. In Ukraine, 126 doctors, nurses, and medical students were recruited. Respondents completed an anonymous paper-and-pencil survey that required minimal socio-demographic information (age, gender, profession, and years of experience) so that the respondent would remain unidentifiable. The results show that male doctors were more extrinsically vs. intrinsically motivated (p=0.003), while female doctors and students were more intrinsically vs. extrinsically motivated in both Ukraine and Poland (p=0.023). Male students and nurses from both countries were equally motivated by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Polish female doctors were more intrinsically vs. extrinsically motivated than Ukrainian ones (p=0.001), whereas Ukrainian and Polish male doctors were more extrinsically vs. intrinsically motivated (p=0.002). There were statistically different motivational patterns concerning gender, occupation, and nationality, which may have important implications for the construction of motivational systems in both organizational and healthcare systems.

Religiosity and work motives among public sector employees

ABSTRACT Research in public administration generally has found that religiosity promotes public service motivation. Although all major religions include components that encompass work-relevant values, little research has focused on how religiosity influences work motives more generally. This study draws on self-determination theory and identity theory to hypothesise that religiosity is positively related to a public service motive but generally not to other work motives. The hypotheses are tested using multilevel logistic regression models that are estimated using public employee respondents to a cross-national survey administered in 35 countries. The findings indicate that religion has a more substantial impact on a public service motive (which is an autonomous extrinsic motive) than on controlled extrinsic or intrinsic motives. The study points to the importance of studying the role of religion in public administration.

Motivational Factors Influencing the Choice of Medical Studies and Future Career Plans among Montenegrin Students.

There is a concerning trend of emigration among highly educated individuals in Montenegro. This includes medical professionals who seek better job opportunities abroad. The aim of the present study was to identify the primary motivational factors driving Montenegrin medical students to pursue a career in medicine, and whether these factors undergo changes over the course of their studies. A cross-sectional study included 210 medical students in Montenegro, 27.62% were males, and 72.38% were females. The mean age of the students was 21.90 years (SD=3.05) (range 19-39). Their academic motivation was analysed using the Academic Motivation Scale, previously validated in various cultural contexts. The results showed that autonomous motivation levels were higher than controlled motivation levels (p<0.001) among students in Montenegro, which has been previously associated with better learning outcomes. Students with medical doctors among their family members had higher extrinsic motivation related to rewards and punishments (extrinsic motivation with external regulation p=0.018). Amotivation showed a trend of increasing as the students got closer to graduation (p=0.057). Only 8.1% of students planned a career in primary healthcare, and 1% wished to specialize in family medicine. This study's findings, which indicate high levels of autonomous motivation among medical students, are of significant importance. They contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the motivation factors among medical students and young healthcare professionals in Montenegro. Moreover, they provide a basis for the implementation of strategic interventions to retain highly skilled medical professionals within the country's workforce, thereby addressing the concerning trend of emigration among this group.

Comparative study of the relationship between empathy and motivation among undergraduate students of new curriculum and old curriculum.

The new competency-based curriculum incorporates the social sciences and humanism to the basic and clinical sciences, thus giving an integrated approach to medical education. Comparing the empathy score with the motivation level across the two curricula was thus planned to assess the current status. A cross-sectional qualitative study using an Internet-based electronic survey containing both an academic motivation scale to assess the motivation level and Jefferson's scale of empathy was used to assess empathy score. From the above study, we concluded that males have a higher empathy score across both the curricula. >95% of students of both categories belonged to the High Intrinsic High Control motivational category. The empathy scores were slightly higher among the CBME (Competency Based Medical Education) group compared to the non-CBME group, but it was not statistically significant. In subgroup analysis, Phase 3 was found to have a significant association. The majority of the students fall in the High Intrinsic High Control category, where they have the next highest level of empathy. Phase 2 was found to have a significant association; it could be because of the positive effects of AETCOM classes on the ready-to-enter clinical exposure batch. The study also revealed that while motivation and empathy are generally linked, outliers existed, particularly among participants with low initial motivation but high empathy. This suggests a potential association between extrinsic motivation and empathy, possibly influenced by external factors.

First Person: Sticker politics

On Lucía van Ryzin’s first day as a student teacher, she was given a sheet of stickers and told to give a sticker to each student who was seated, silent, and had a notebook out. As she walked around the room, she noticed that some students were more focused on getting the sticker than on thinking about their assignment. She uses the experience to weigh the value of extrinsic motivators like stickers for motivating student learning.

Investigating the impact of Accessible Pedagogies on the experiences and engagement of students with language and/or attentional difficulties

AbstractStudents with disability tend to report lower levels of school engagement. To date, research has focused on building students’ extrinsic motivation and self-regulation with limited consideration of the impact of instructional barriers. In this mixed-methods study, we investigated the effect of teachers’ participation in the Accessible Pedagogies™ Program of Learning on the classroom experiences and engagement of 56 Year 10 students with disabilities impacting language and information processing. When asked in interviews what their teacher did to help them pay attention and to understand, students described teachers’ increased use of practices that were the focus of the program. Self-report questionnaire data revealed a positive, statistically significant increase in cognitive engagement for students whose teachers participated in Accessible Pedagogies™. No increase was observed for a Comparison Group. Findings suggest that the reduction of extraneous language and cognitive load through teachers’ use of Accessible Pedagogies™ may have helped students deploy available mental effort to engage in learning, rather than expend that effort to overcome unnecessary instructional barriers. Future research will investigate the impact of Accessible Pedagogies™ with larger samples and a wider range of students.

Analisis Gaya Kepemimpinan dan Motivasi Kerja dalam Meningkatkan Disiplin Kerja Guru di Madrasah Tsanawiah (MTs) Al- Ihsan Kalikejambon

This study aims to analyze leadership styles and working motivation in improving teacher work discipline in Madrasah Tsanawiah (Mts) Al-Ihsan Kalikejambon. The research method used a qualitative method with data collection observation, interviews and documentation involving directly to the principal headmaster and teachers of Madrasah Tsanawiah (Mts) Al-Ihsan Kalikejambon. Data analysis techniques include data reduction, data presentation and conclusion drawing. The results of this study indicate that in improving teacher work discipline in Madrasah Tsanawiah (Mts) Al-Ihsan Kalikejambon, the principal applies a democratic leadership style and intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

Investigating Correlation between Exercise Participation Motivation and Social Physique Anxiety and Their Differences across Exercise Stages of Change.

This study aims to investigate the correlation between exercise participation motivation and social physique anxiety and their differences across the exercise stages of change in individuals. A convenience sampling technique was used to gather data from 374 sedentary individuals aged 18 and over, using a questionnaire that included the Behavioral Regulations in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2), Social Physique Anxiety (SPA) scale, and Exercise Stages of Change Questionnaire (ESOCQ). Welch's ANOVA test was utilized to examine if there were significant differences between the average levels of behavioral regulations in exercise and SPA within exercise stages of change, respectively. Based on Welch's ANOVA results, it has been found that there are significant differences in the total score of SPAS according to exercise stages of change (F = 15.801, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the sub-factors intrinsic regulation, introjected regulation, and external motivation statistically significantly differ according to exercise stages of change (F=6.681, p < 0.001 for IR; F=30.186,p < 0.001 for introjected regulation; F=10.104, p < 0.001 for external motivation, F=0.481,p = 0.750 for AM). Pearson's r correlation coefficients were also computed to determine the relationship between behavioral regulations in exercise and SPA. A significant negative moderate correlation was found between intrinsic regulation and SPA (r = -0.645, p < 0.001). Furthermore, a significant medium positive correlation was found between introjected regulation and SPA (r = 0.534, p < 0.001), external motivation and SPA (r = 0.588, p < 0.001), and amotivation and SPA (r = 0.564, p < 0.001). The findings suggest that being self-motivated for exercise might decrease SPA. On the other hand, exercise motivated by external pressures could lead to increased SPA. The findings also suggest that those who started exercising with intrinsic motivation reached more advanced stages of exercise than those who started exercising with extrinsic factors. Finally, extrinsic motives may help in the first stages of the exercise, but intrinsic motives are required to continue the exercise. Consequently, these findings may guide physical activity specialists, trainers, etc., to develop more effective strategies to motivate exercise participation by considering social physique anxiety among individuals.