Extrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation is the motivation that comes from external sources. In the case of learning, this motivation may come from teachers, parents, threat of failure, bribe, penalty, etc. It is not possible to extrinsically motivate effective learning. Extrinsic motivation is based on reward or penalty separated from the value of knowledge itself. As such, it easily leads to violations of the fundamental law of learning. When learning is not its own reward, incoherent learning may occur. Such learning is subject to interference. Not only does it not last, but it also results in accelerated forgetting in other areas of knowledge. Intrinsic motivation is the key to efficient learning.

See also:

• How can I motivate a child extrinsically?
• intrinsic motivation (incl. how to distinguish intrinsic from extrinsic motivation)

This glossary entry is used to explain "I would never send my kids to school" (2017-2024) by Piotr Wozniak

Figure: The figure presents the mechanism by which coercion affects mental health and well-being:

• Natural learning based on the learn drive is displayed in red
• Coercive learning based on school penalties and rewards is displayed in blue
• The effects of extrinsic motivation are displayed in orange (rewards and penalties as the same impact vector)
• The value of knowledge and knowledge streams on input is determined by the knowledge valuation network (e.g. orbitofrontal cortex)
• The value of knowledge is computed as an increment in the value of total knowledge as a result of complementing prior knowledge
• Knowledge in red is valued as "optimum good", i.e. of best value available (see: Optimality of the learn drive)
• Knowledge in blue is valued as of suboptimum quality and relevance (see: complexity, coherence, applicability, stability)
• Good knowledge in red activates "wanting", which is the basis of the learn drive
• Suboptimum knowledge in blue is marked as unwanted due to the competition from wanted knowledge
• Encoding of wanted memories results in "liking" (see: Pleasure of learning)
• Encoding of unwanted memories results in less liking or in "not liking" (see: Decoding failure penalty)
• Reward in learning helps the encoding and consolidation of memories
• Penalties in learning generalize to weaken memories (incl. wanted memories), and to weaken the learn drive
• Due to their impact on the learn drive, penalties in learning lead to a form of learned helplessness manifested as the loss of the pleasure of learning
• Reward deficit in learned helplessness increases the risk of addictions, depression, and other mental disorders (see: Reward diversity in preventing addictions)
• Extrinsic motivation (incl. rewards for learning) makes it possible to encode unwanted memories (with loss of coherence, stability, applicability, and more)
• Extrinsic motivation results in the override of the learn drive, suppresses encoding of wanted memories, and contributes to learned helplessness through the effect on wanting and liking

Figure: Concept map activation in learning motivated by extrinsic rewards. In the presented example, instead of learning sparked by the learn drive underlying intrinsic motivation, the teacher asks a student to learn "how we can train NK cell metabolism". The extrinsic reward is a good grade, which the student may translate in his head as future earnings or the value of goals that have not been determined yet. Goals of health and productivity are grayed (either absent or inactive). The student does not intrinsically relate the learning process to her dreams. The goal imposed by the teacher does not probe student's prior knowledge. Perhaps she even does not know what NK cells are. The entire process is deprived of reward, unless the student is well-schooled and conditioned to find satisfaction in any form of imposed learning even if that learning scores low on value, coherence or consistency. The simplest differentiation of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is the fact that only the first is accompanied by the pleasure of learning.

Compare: The same concept map activated via intrinsic motivation routes