Intrinsic motivation refers to engaging in an activity for its own sake. To be intrinsically motivated means to feel both competent and autonomous (e.g., “I can do it for myself”). Students who are intrinsically motivated
work on tasks because they find them enjoyable. In
other words, participation is its own reward and is not contingent on tangible rewards such as praise, grades, or other external factors. In contrast, students who are extrinsically motivated engage in learning tasks as a means to an end, such as to get a good grade, to get praise from their parents, or to avoid punishment. It is not the case that intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are at opposite ends of a motivation continuum, such that having more of one means having less of the other.
Instead, students engage in academic tasks for both intrinsic and extrinsic reasons (e.g., because they enjoy it and to get a good grade). Nonetheless, intrinsically motivated task engagement is not only more enjoyable, it is positively related to more enduring learning, achievement, and perceived competence and is negatively related to anxiety.