Final answer:
According to the overjustification effect, rewards for completing a task can diminish intrinsic motivation, especially when the reward is expected. This effect has implications for educational settings, where the use of concrete rewards could potentially reduce intrinsic motivation to learn.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the overjustification effect, rewards for completing a task tend to affect extrinsic motivation. This psychological concept suggests that when an individual expects to receive an extrinsic reward for an activity, their intrinsic motivation for that task can be diminished. However, this is not always straightforward. Physical reinforcements like money might have a different impact compared to verbal reinforcement such as praise. Where tangible rewards often reduce intrinsic motivation, intangible ones like praise may not have such a negative effect, or they could even increase it.
The expectation of receiving a reward plays a critical role. If there's no expectation and the reward comes as a surprise, intrinsic motivation can remain unaffected. Yet if individuals know in advance that they will be compensated, it can alter their motivation. An interesting example is when someone's hobby becomes their job. Initially done for pleasure, once it becomes 'work' and is extrinsically rewarded, the activity may lose its intrinsic appeal, potentially reducing the desire to engage in the behavior in the absence of reward.
The educational implications are significant. Schools often use concrete rewards to encourage certain behaviors, which could potentially undermine students' intrinsic motivation to learn. This raises critical questions about how best to structure learning environments and the use of reinforcements to foster a lasting love of learning.