By: Kendrick Thomas
Intrinsic motivation refers to behavior that is driven by internal rewards according to verywellmind.com. In other words, the motivation to engage in a behavior arises from within the individual because it is naturally satisfying to you.
Whenever we want to do something with no reward at all it means we are intrinsically motivated by that task. Our reward comes from some form of emotional satisfaction or better feelings on the inside of us.
As educators we know that we don’t do the late nights and early mornings for the
for the money. Therefore it has to be motivation inside of us that pushes us to perfect our craft on a daily basis.
The factors they identify as increasing intrinsic motivation include: (verywellmind.com)
Challenge: People are more motivated when they pursue goals with personal meaning and when attaining the goal is possible but not necessarily certain. These goals may also relate to their self-esteem when performance feedback is available.
Curiosity: Internal motivation is increased when something in the physical environment grabs the individual's attention (sensory curiosity). It also occurs when something about the activity stimulates the person to want to learn more (cognitive curiosity).
Control: People want control over themselves and their environments and want to determine what they pursue.
Cooperation and competition: Intrinsic motivation can be increased in situations where people gain satisfaction from helping others. It also applies to cases where they are able to compare their own performance favorably to that of others.
Recognition: People enjoy having their accomplishment recognized by others, which can increase internal motivation.