The effect of personal control, competence, and extrinsic reward systes on intrinsic motivation

A review of the literature revealed that the effects of personal control on intrinsic motivation had not been directly investigated, that the interaction of competence and personal control had not been investigated, and that studies comparing the effects of contingent versus noncontingent reward systems on intrinsic motivation had produced conflicting results and conclusions. A study was designed and conducted using a direct manipulation of personal control over performance as well as the usual reward manipulation. It was found that personal control over performance was a very important determinant of intrinsic motivation but that the type of reward system did not affect intrinsic motivation. An interaction between personal control over performance and competence was found such that both performance and personal control over performance had to be high in order for intrinsic motivation to be high.