Abstract
A meta-analysis of 128 studies examined the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. As predicted, engagement-contingent, completion-contingent, and performance-contingent rewards significantly undermined free-choice intrinsic motivation (d = -0.40, -0.36, and -0.28, respectively), as did all rewards, all tangible rewards, and all expected rewards. Engagement-contingent and completion-contingent rewards also significantly undermined self-reported interest (d = -0.15, and -0.17), as did all tangible rewards and all expected rewards. Positive feedback enhanced both free-choice behavior (d = 0.33) and self-reported interest (d = 0.31). Tangible rewards tended to be more detrimental for children than college students, and verbal rewards tended to be less enhancing for children than college students. The authors review 4 previous meta-analyses of this literature and detail how this study's methods, analyses, and results differed from the previous ones.
Keywords
PsychologyIntrinsic motivationSocial psychologyMeta-analysisDevelopmental psychology
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1999
- Type
- review
- Volume
- 125
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 627-668
- Citations
- 6554
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Edward L. Deci,
Richard Koestner,
Richard M. Ryan
(1999).
A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation..
Psychological Bulletin
, 125
(6)
, 627-668.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.125.6.627
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1037/0033-2909.125.6.627