How does Motivation Influence Academic Success?

Have you ever stopped to wonder why we do what we do? What influences our academic success? Why do we study so hard, and why do we love getting

good grades? After analyzing my current course grades, I considered why my performance was better for specific courses. During this introspection, I realized my motivation for completing each course differed and there were definite effects due to those differences. The courses I was intrinsically motivated to study for had higher grades than those I was extrinsically motivated to study. This made me wonder how much motivation affects our academic success. Let’s journey to the land of academia!

 

In the land of academia, there are two students: one who studies hard and aces every test because he genuinely loves learning, and another who aces his test because his mom rewards him with a gift for every test he aces. Who do you think is more likely to retain the information and enjoy his academic journey? There is no doubt that motivation plays a role in academic success. It is often discussed, but do we truly understand it? If you don’t, fear not! This blog will shed some light on the two main

categories of motivation and how they influence our academic success.

Motivation is a desire that energizes and pushes a behavior (Myers et al., 2023). It is the driving force behind our actions and it dictates why we do what we do. While there are many different types of motivation, there are two broad categories: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is when one does something for one's own sake or inherent satisfaction (Oudeyer and Kaplan, 2009, as cited by Smith). If you are intrinsically motivated to do something, you do it without expecting a reward. You get joy and a sense of accomplishment from this type of motivation. Extrinsic motivation is the opposite. It is when we are motivated to do something because we

will receive a reward or avoid a punishment- external factors motivate our actions (Mulvahill, 2018). An example of extrinsic motivation is attending an event only because a teacher promised to give you extra credit.

Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation play a role in shaping academic performance, but research has shown that intrinsically motivated students have higher achievement levels, lower anxiety levels, and show more competence in learning than extrinsically motivated students. Intrinsic motivation improves academic performance as students deeply engage in the content. They don’t just study to get a good grade- they study because they genuinely enjoy the subject they are learning. They tend to have a deeper level of curiosity and will dive deeper to satisfy this curiosity. They are also more likely to apply the concept outside of the classroom. 

Compare your favorite subject or course you are intrinsically motivated in and your least favorite course. In which course do you have more knowledge? That’s right, it’s the course you are intrinsically motivated to do! Does this mean that extrinsic motivation is inherently worse than intrinsic motivation? Of course not! Not everyone is intrinsically motivated to do everything. Some tasks require a little more push, which is where extrinsic motivation comes in. Being rewarded for academic tasks makes them less daunting, and you become more motivated. Extrinsic motivations  encourage us to try new things and work well for short-term goals.

Is it ever too much, though? While extrinsic motivation is good, it also has a few drawbacks:

• Extrinsic motivation creates a sense of dependency on reinforcement or punishment. If you tie academic achievements to a reward, you will be less motivated to learn when the reward goes away. 

• Extrinsic motivation can  lead to “academic burnout.” Learning can be exhausting if you are only doing it for the reward of an A or a good GPA.
• Extrinsic motivation can affect our self-esteem. If we are constantly rewarded for a task and the reward becomes extinct abruptly, it can cause us to question our level of competence. “Will my teachers think less of me if I don’t get an A?” “Was my effort not enough this time?” “Did I stop being good enough?”
• Extrinsic motivation undermines intrinsic motivation. One of my high school friends loved literature. She would spend hours and hours reading and analyzing literary pieces. However, when she started studying literature for external examinations, her love for the subject diminished, and her main focus was getting a good grade rather than finding her passion in reading.

 

Can intrinsic and extrinsic motivation coexist? Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are essential when it comes to academic success. Extrinsic motivation fosters the exploration of new activities and is suitable for achieving short-term goals. Intrinsic motivation fosters an environment for deeper learning and engagement and is better for achieving long-term goals. Both can coexist- we just need to find a balance.

 

So how do we make this balance work?

1. Use extrinsic motivation to spark interest in new ideas or subjects. Reward yourself for trying something new or celebrate learning a new topic. This will increase your drive for learning.
2. Use extrinsic motivation for short-term goals. Think about the reinforcer only as an incentive and not an end goal. If you get a gift for participating in an activity, consider your participation an achievement rather than the gift. Perform as though the external motivator is not there and put your best foot forward regardless.
3. Think about why you are doing the task that you are doing and find meaning in it. You

can ask yourself, “How does this topic relate to the career I am pursuing?” or “How will completing this activity or understanding this topic make me a better professional?”

5. Find a way to tie the activity that you are doing to something you are interested in. If you like football or shopping, think of the topic in that sense. Make learning the topic

enjoyable for you.

6. Don’t rely too much on extrinsic motivation, as this can lead to academic burnout, low

self-esteem, and depression. Mental health is important!

 

Now that you know about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, we can think back to the land of academia. The student who studies hard and aces every test because he genuinely loves learning is more likely to retain information and enjoy his academic journey. You can be this student, too! With this knowledge of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, take hold of your academic journey by celebrating your achievements and developing a love for learning!

 

 

Sources

 

Cherry, K. (2023). Extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation: What’s the difference? Verywell

Mind.https://www.verywellmind.com/differences-between-extrinsic-and-intrinsic-m

otivation-2795384

Mulvahill, E. (2018). Understanding Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation in the Classroom.

WeAreTeachers.

https://www.weareteachers.com/understanding-intrinsic-vs-extrinsic-motivation-in

-the-classroom/

Myers, D. G., C. Nathan DeWall, & Gruber, J. (2023). Psychology. Macmillan Higher

Education.

Nickerson, C. (2023). Differences of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation - Simply

Psychology. Simply Psychology.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/differences-between-extrinsic-and-intrinsic-motivation.html

Saeed, S., & Zyngier, D. (2012). How motivation influences student engagement: A

qualitative case study. Journal of Education and Learning, 1(2), 252–267.