Extrinsic motivation is the drive to perform a behavior in order to obtain an external reward or avoid an external punishment. The activity is a means to an end rather than an end in itself.

Grades, paychecks, trophies, praise, and the threat of penalties are classic extrinsic motivators. They can be highly effective at initiating and maintaining behavior, especially for tasks that are tedious or uninteresting. Yet research consistently shows that heavy reliance on extrinsic rewards can undermine intrinsic interest. When a previously enjoyable activity is paid or graded, people may come to view it as work and lose the spontaneous desire to continue once the reward is removed.

Not all extrinsic motivators are equal. Those that support autonomy and competence—acknowledging effort, providing meaningful rationale—tend to be less corrosive than those that feel controlling. Self-determination theory distinguishes among types of extrinsic motivation according to how fully the external reason has been internalized.

Extrinsic motivation gets the job done. The open question is what it does to the longer-term relationship with the activity itself.