Advantages and Disadvantages of Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation Advantages

Intrinsic motivation can be a life-long and self-sustaining form of motivation (Center for Teaching, 2011).  Individuals pursue the task because they want to and not because they are being made to.  Not only do individuals strive to learn about the subject for personal achievement, but they also strive for a true understanding of the subject matter, not just the highlights of the subject (Ormrod, 2008, p. 454).  This type of motivation focuses on the subject to be learned and not at the rewards or punishments associated with it which can assist individuals in persisting in the face of failure and achieving at high levels (Center for Teaching, 2011; Ormrod, 2008, p. 454). 

Intrinsic Motivation Disadvantages

Developing intrinsic motivation can be a slow process in affecting behavior and can also necessitate special and somewhat lengthy preparation.  Since individuals learn differently, there are a variety of factors that motivate each student.  Therefore it is helpful to know the interests of students in order to connect with and motivate them, which can be time consuming and sometimes virtually impossible (Center for Teaching, 2011).

Extrinsic Motivation Advantages

Motivation drawn from extrinsic factors is more likely to create behavior changes and can involve little to no preparation or effort to produce.  Applying this type of motivation also requires little to no knowledge of students interests (Center for Teaching, 2011).  

Extrinsic Motivation Disadvantages

Extrinsic motivation often does not work over the long term; once the rewards or punishments are removed, students tend to lose their motivation (Center for Teaching, 2011).  In the classroom setting, students who are extrinsically motivated tend to apply only the minimum behavioral and cognitive effort needed to execute the task at hand (Ormrod, 2008, p. 454).  It also can distract students from learning the subject at hand, only learning the minimal amount necessary to achieve desired rewards or avoid punishment (Center for Teaching, 2011).