Left Brain vs Right Brain Core Drives, and how they relate to Extrinsic vs Intrinsic Motivation
There is a lot of literature out there on Extrinsic vs Intrinsic Motivation. Most people talk about how Intrinsic Motivation is better, but is that always the case?
And even so, how to design for more intrinsic motivation?
In a string of snippets from my book Actionable Gamification, we will be exploring topics like the below:
The Series
This is a general understanding of how Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation relate to our 8 Core Drives (basically, Extrinsic Motivation comes from Core Drives 2, 4, 6; while Intrinsic Motivation comes from Core Drives 3, 5, 7).
How Extrinsic Rewards can KILL Intrinsic Motivation
Most companies like to use Extrinsic Motivation in their motivation design, mostly because it is much easier to put a reward on a behavior you want, as opposed to making it fun.
However, the consequences can be detrimental in creating long-term motivation!
How Extrinsic vs Intrinsic Motivation explains why our Education System is Broken
Have you ever tried to reward your child for doing their homework or house chores? How well did it work in the long run?
Here we see why our Education System is broken primarily because people don’t understand the differences between Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation.
How Extrinsic Rewards kill our Ability to be Creative
Have you ever seen projects where “top paid professionals” couldn’t solve a problem, but suddenly when it is open source, random kids solve it quickly?
Turns out, when we are working towards Extrinsic Rewards (like for money), we lose our creativity.
How Extrinsic Rewards turn off our Social Brain
Adding a reward allows us to be more goal-oriented, but it also makes us more selfish.
When your friend does something for you as a favor, giving them money doesn’t always make them feel happy. In other words, it is killing off Core Drive 5: Social Influence & Relatedness.
How to actually create Intrinsic Motivation in an Experience
There’s a lot of content out there that talks about how intrinsic motivation is better, but offers little actionable advice on how to actually make something more intrinsic.
Here I offer the insights from the Octalysis Framework to show you what you should do to make an experience intrinsically appealing.
When to use Extrinsic Rewards to Motivate People
Extrinsic Rewards aren’t all bad — or else we wouldn’t be using them for so many centuries.
There are many scenarios where Extrinsic Rewards are appropriate. This post explains those scenarios and how to merge with Intrinsic Motivation.
I hope you enjoy these posts!
Related Reading
• Left Brain (Extrinsic) vs Right Brain (Intrinsic) Core Drives in Gamification
• The Octalysis Framework for Gamification & Behavioral Design
• White Hat vs Black Hat Gamification
• Self-Determination Theory: The Complete Guide