Effects of Reward on Self‐regulation, Intrinsic Motivation and Creativity

Abstract

This article evaluates the effects of two types of rewards (performance-contingent versus engagement-contingent) on self-regulation, intrinsic motivation and creativity. Forty-two undergraduate students were randomly assigned to three conditions; i.e. a performance-contingent reward group, an engagement-contingent reward group and a control group. Results provide little support for the negative effects of performance rewards on motivational components. However, they do indicate that participants in the engagement-contingent reward group and the control group achieved higher rated creativity than participants in the performance-contingent reward group. Alternative explanations for this finding are discussed.

Leaders' responses to creative deviance: Differential effects on subsequent creative deviance and creative performance

“…The more an activity conducted in a reward-based system becomes internalized as part of the individual's inner motives, the more it represents self-determined behavior (Deci, Eghrari, Patrick, & Leone, 1994; Deci, Ryan, & Williams, 1996) and enhances creativity. Consequently, individuals who act in the presence of a performance-contingent reward should be more controlled by the reward and therefore produce less qualitatively creative responses compared to individuals who act in the presence of an engagement-contingent reward (Selart, Nordström, Kuvaas, & Takemura, 2008). When leaders reward creative deviance, they are rewarding an unconventional and unexpected behavior, not only because of its outcomes, but also because of its underlying creative motivation.…”

Teacher's Encouragement on Creativity, Intrinsic Motivation, and Creativity: The Mediating Role of Creative Process Engagement

“…The link between intrinsic motivation and creative work performance is well documented in the literature (Amabile, ; Selarta, Nordström, Kuvaas, & Takemura, ; Sternberg, ; Woodman & Auger, ; Zhang & Bartol, ; Zhang & Gheibi, ). Cognitive scientists theorize that in addition to environmental influences, intrinsic motivation is also a critical factor that influences creative processes.…”

The Effect of Monetary Reward on Creativity: The Role of Motivational Orientation

“…Specifically, people perceive the promise of reward as an attempt to control their behavior, which reduces the perception of self-determination and in turn interest and motivation [4,16,42]. Similarly, it's been argued that performance-contingent rewards result in lower intrinsic motivation due to lower level of internalization [47] or the externalization of the locus of motivation [44]. Likewise, the reduction in intrinsic motivation is attributed to the overjustification effect, i.e.…”