scholarly journals Motivated for near impossibility: How task type and reward modulates intrinsic motivation and the striatal activation for an extremely difficult task

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kou Murayama ◽  
Michiko Sakaki ◽  
Stef Meliss ◽  
Yukihito Yomogida ◽  
Kausu Matsumori ◽  
...  

AbstractEconomic and decision-making theories suppose that people would disengage from an extremely difficult task, because such a task does not implicate any normative utility values (i.e. success probability is almost zero). However, humans are often motivated for an extremely challenging task with little chance of success, even without any extrinsic incentives. The current study aimed to address how the nature of the task (luck vs. skill) and the presence of extrinsic rewards modulate this challenge-based motivation, and its neural correlates. Participants played a game-like, skill-based task with three different probabilities of success (i.e., high, moderate, and extremely-low chance of success), in one group without performance-based rewards (no-reward group) and the other group with performance-based monetary rewards (reward group). Participants in the third group played a similar task but the reward outcome was determined in a probabilistic manner (gambling group). Participants in the no-reward group showed increased intrinsic motivation, as the chance of success decreased (i.e. the task becomes more difficult) even if the task was almost impossible to achieve. On the other hand, the reward group exhibited the highest intrinsic motivation when the task had a moderate chance of success, and participants in the gambling group showed decreased intrinsic motivation as the chance of success decreased. The ventral striatum and the ventral pallidum also showed similar patterns of activation. These results suggest that, both at the behavioral and neural levels, people are intrinsically motivated to challenge a nearly impossible task, but only when the task requires certain skills and extrinsic rewards are not available.

Author(s):  
Aleeshah Nujjoo ◽  
Ines Meyer

Orientation: Employees’ perceptions of rewards are related to their affective commitment and intrinsic motivation, which have been associated with staff turnover.Research purpose: The study sought to establish the relationship between intrinsic and different extrinsic rewards with intrinsic motivation and affective commitment.Motivation for the study: South African organisations are grappling with employee retention. Literature shows that employees who are more motivated and committed to their organisation are less likely to quit. Rewards management strategies serve to create a motivated and committed workforce. Using the correct types of rewards can thus provide a competitive advantage.Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted. Questionnaire data of 399 South African employees were analysed using bivariate correlations and multiple regression.Main findings: Three main findings emerged. Firstly, there is a relationship between all types of rewards investigated and the two outcome variables. Secondly, this relationship is stronger for intrinsic than for extrinsic rewards and thirdly, monetary rewards do not account for the variance in intrinsic motivation above that of non-monetary rewards.Practical/managerial implications: Rewards management strategies should focus on job characteristics and designs to increase staff intrinsic rewards and include non-monetary rewards, such as supportive leadership, to encourage employees’ intrinsic motivation and affective commitment.Contribution/value-add: This research demonstrated the important role different rewards, particularly intrinsic non-monetary rewards, play in creating a committed and motivated workforce. The insights gained from this study can promote organisational effectiveness. Suggestions of how to expand on and refine the current study are addressed.


1969 ◽  
Vol 73 (700) ◽  
pp. 255-270
Author(s):  
H. Caplan

The purpose of this prologue is to outline how I have approached the arrogant and impossible task of surveying an unborn century of law. I may also be able to illustrate that the nature and quality of the task is completely different from that attempted in the preceding papers. In the whole paper I have done little more than infer repeatedly, in different ways (a) that the shape of the future so far as law is concerned will be determined by the methods of communication adopted between sectors of the aerospace community and between the aerospace community and society at large, and (b) that the search for effective methods of communication is urgent. But my target is not the lawyers of our community—who I am not qualified to advise. I write for the other members of the Royal Aeronautical Society and I return to the task of persuading them that they have a role to play in evolving future laws for aerospace activities.


2003 ◽  
Vol 92 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1091-1096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuhiko Fujihara ◽  
Asako Miura

The influences of task type on search of the World Wide Web using search engines without limitation of search domain were investigated. 9 graduate and undergraduate students studying psychology (1 woman and 8 men, M age = 25.0 yr., SD = 2.1) participated. Their performance to manipulate the search engines on a closed task with only one answer were compared with their performance on an open task with several possible answers. Analysis showed that the number of actions was larger for the closed task ( M = 91) than for the open task ( M = 46.1). Behaviors such as selection of keywords (averages were 7.9% of all actions for the closed task and 16.7% for the open task) and pressing of the browser's back button (averages were 40.3% of all actions for the closed task and 29.6% for the open task) were also different. On the other hand, behaviors such as selection of hyperlinks, pressing of the home button, and number of browsed pages were similar for both tasks. Search behaviors were influenced by task type when the students searched for information without limitation placed on the information sources.


1971 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 563-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Borden ◽  
Ray Bowen ◽  
Stuart P. Taylor

This experiment investigated the relative aggressiveness (shock-setting behavior) of Ss competing against aggressive and nonaggressive opponents under conditions in which they could either receive or not receive extrinsic rewards (money) for behaving aggressively. It was observed that Ss behaved in a more aggressive manner when competing with aggressive opponents than when competing with nonaggressive opponents. Ss also selected significantly more intense shocks when given the opportunity to receive monetary rewards for doing so than when not given this opportunity. Aggressive behavior was an additive function of aggressive provocation and extrinsic reward.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 11193
Author(s):  
Karol Król ◽  
Dariusz Zdonek

Content published in social media (SM) can be motivating. It can induce action, stimulate demand, and shape opinions. On the other hand, it can demotivate, cause helplessness, or overwhelm with information. Still, the impact of SM is not always the same. The paper aims to analyse the relations between sex, personality, and the way social media is used and motivation to take specific actions. The conclusions are founded on a survey (n = 462). The data were analysed with statistical methods. The study revealed that the use of SM has a significant impact on the motivation to act. Browsing through descriptions and photographs of various achievements posted by others in SM increased the intrinsic motivation of the respondents. Positive comments and emojis had a similar effect. Moreover, women and extraverts noted a significantly greater impact of SM on their intrinsic motivation concerning health and beauty effort, travel, hobby, and public expression of opinions than men and introverts. The results can be useful to recruiters. Extravert women that are open to cooperation, thorough, and well-organised are more likely to be active in SM.


2018 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-132
Author(s):  
Alfred Schäfer

This paper’s point of departure is that modernity reflects its contingency in the medium of childhood. It is here that modernity assigns the (impossible) task to education of respecting the space of possibilities inherent to ›childhood‹ and transforming these possibilities into a better reality. On the one hand, this leads to an irresolvable problem of educational justification – problems that can only be dealt with the help of rhetorical constructions. On the other hand, the sovereignty of childhood, which is indeterminable and not bound to rationality, has to become educationally represented in order to demonstrate its legitimacy – a construct that can never be adequately represented. This problematic relation of sovereignty and representation is connected to questions of democracy theories.


Author(s):  
Alison G. Vredenburgh ◽  
Jennifer S. McLeod ◽  
Delbert M. Nebeker

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Danish Ahmed Siddiqui ◽  
Noor ul Rida

This paper aims to study the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on employee’s performance. Employees obviously work for the organization for monetary benefits but these monetary compensations and rewards are not the sole requirement of all employees. Some of them need salary increment and bonuses to get themselves motivated while others need recognition and non-monetary benefits. The study was aimed to discuss how the extrinsic and intrinsic motivation can hinder or increase the motivation level of employees. Several motivational theories have also been discussed in this paper that helps in better understanding of why and how employees are motivated. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is said to have significant impact on employee’s performance.  Our study examined 60 female and 143 male respondents (n=203) of banking sector to study the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on employee’s performance. There was a positive relationship of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of employees with their performance. With the increase in intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, employee’s performance tends to increase as well. We also have discussed some of the future directions and recommendations so that it can help future researchers to study the other constructs that can affect employee’s performance.


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