Intrinsic motivation vs. feelings of being controlled

Congratulating students for having done well at a self-initiated educational activity is likely to promote feelings of competence and intrinsic motivation, whereas praising them for doing what they "should" have done or what you told them to do is likely to lead to their feeling controlled, which in turn would reduce intrinsic motivation and strengthen nonautonomous forms of extrinsic motivation.




Motivation and Education: 
The Self-Determination Perspective


Edward L. Deci at the University of Rochester
Robert J. Vallerand at the University of Quebec at Montreal
Luc G. Pelletier at the University of Ottawa
Richard M. Ryan at the University of Rochester

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST, 26(3 & 4), 325-346 Copyright O 1991, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.