The Impact of Reward and Training on Intrinsic Motivation and Subsequent Task Performance
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Bridget Bicknell

The Impact of Reward and Training on Intrinsic Motivation and Subsequent Task Performance

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Introduction

The impact of reward and training on intrinsic motivation and subsequent task performance. Explore the impact of rewards and training on intrinsic motivation and task performance. This study found training improved task performance, but neither rewards nor training significantly affected intrinsic motivation.

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Abstract

The objective of the present study was to facilitate an understanding of the factors, such as tangible rewards, that may undermine intrinsic motivation, or factors, such as practice, that may facilitate feelings of competence. 24 undergraduate students completed a cognitive recall task and a questionnaire measuring self-reported intrinsic motivation Two social-contextual factors of interest were examined: the opportunity for performance-contingent rewards; and a training period which provided the opportunity for practice.A 2 X 2 between-subjects design was employed; half of the total participants were given a training recall task in addition to the testing recall task and half of the total participants were informed of the opportunity to earn a $20 cash reward. There was no significant effect of promised possible reward on perceptions of post-behavioral intrinsic motivation, F(1,20) = .22 , p >.05 or task performance F(1,20) = .01, p > .05. There was no significant effect of training on intrinsic motivation, F(1,20) = 4.01, p>.05; however, there was a significant effect of training on task performance that was in the expected direction F(1,20) = 5.99, p<.05. The limitations of the study with regard to task selection and a limited sample size are discussed.


Review

This study aimed to disentangle the effects of performance-contingent rewards and practice opportunities on intrinsic motivation and subsequent task performance. Utilizing a 2x2 between-subjects design, 24 undergraduate students completed a cognitive recall task and a self-report measure of intrinsic motivation. The key findings indicated no significant impact of a potential $20 cash reward on either post-behavioral intrinsic motivation or task performance. Similarly, a training period did not significantly influence intrinsic motivation. However, training was found to significantly improve task performance, aligning with expected outcomes. While the research question is pertinent to understanding motivation and learning, the study suffers from substantial methodological limitations. The most critical issue is the extremely small sample size of 24 participants, which translates to only 6 participants per cell in a 2x2 between-subjects design. This severely compromises the statistical power of the analysis, making it difficult to detect genuine effects and significantly limiting the generalizability of the findings. The authors appropriately acknowledge this limitation, alongside task selection. The cognitive recall task, while standard, might not evoke strong intrinsic motivation dynamics in a single experimental session, potentially contributing to the null effects observed for intrinsic motivation. Despite the limited power and scope, the finding that training significantly enhances task performance is a robust and valuable contribution, even if the pathways to intrinsic motivation were not clarified. The lack of significant effects for rewards undermining intrinsic motivation, while potentially a result of the methodological constraints, also suggests that under these specific conditions (modest reward, specific task, single exposure), such effects may not be readily observable. Future research building on this study would benefit immensely from a substantially larger sample size, diverse tasks that vary in inherent interest, and perhaps different magnitudes or types of rewards. Exploring the long-term impacts of training and rewards on intrinsic motivation would also provide a more comprehensive understanding.


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