Overview
After reviewing the chapter by Akin Little and Little, I understand why the idea of intrinsic motivation is appealing. Many people believe that students act because they enjoy a task and that this enjoyment is separate from the environment. However, the behavioral perspective presented in the reading challenges this view. The authors emphasize that what people call intrinsic motivation often reflects a history of reinforcement that is not immediately visible. I find this explanation more useful because it helps me think about behavior in ways that can be observed and measured.
The concern that external reinforcement might decrease intrinsic interest is common in education, but the evidence in this chapter does not support that belief. Akin Little and Little reviewed decades of research, including meta analyses, and found that decreases in interest only occur under very specific and uncommon conditions. They also explain that many studies criticizing reinforcement did not actually confirm whether the so called reward increased behavior at all. When reinforcement is used in a planned and consistent way, it can strengthen engagement and even increase long term participation in tasks.
For behavior analysts, intrinsic motivation is not the most helpful concept because it cannot be directly observed. Extrinsic reinforcement, on the other hand, provides a clear way to understand what maintains behavior. The relationship between the two becomes clearer when we recognize that repeated experiences with reinforcement can make a task more enjoyable. In that sense, what others call intrinsic motivation may simply be the long term effects of reinforcement. Because of this, I believe extrinsic reinforcement does not damage motivation but instead creates opportunities for interest to develop.
Reference
Akin Little, A., & Little, S. G. (2019). Effect of extrinsic reinforcement on intrinsic motivation. In S. G. Little & A. Akin Little (Eds.), Behavioral interventions in schools: Evidence based positive strategies (2nd ed., pp. 113 to 132). American Psychological Association.
TO DO
Be sure to support your posts and responses with specific references to behavior-analytic theory and research. In addition to the Learning Resources, search the Walden Library and/or the internet for peer-reviewed articles to support your posts and responses. Use proper APA format and citations, including those in the Learning Resources.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights that you have gained because of your colleagues’ comments.