Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic incentives jointly predict performance: A 40-year meta-analysis.
verifiedrich profile · Psychological Bulletin · 2014
Cerasoli, Christopher P.; Nicklin, Jessica M.; Ford, Michael T.
How this was studied
A meta-analytic synthesis — it pools many primary studies rather than running a single design, so there is no single-study diagram.
What this article reports
The findings we extracted from this work, normalized into Principia’s relationship form (X → Y). Each feeds the synthesized models below.
intrinsic motivation → performance quantity
intrinsic motivation → task performance
intrinsic motivation → performance quality
Models this article informs
The meta-analytic priors this article contributes evidence to — its place in the broader synthesis.
intrinsic motivation predicts performance quality
intrinsic motivation predicts performance quantity
intrinsic motivation predicts task performance
motivation predicts task performance
In the authors’ words
The article’s own abstract.
More than 4 decades of research and 9 meta-analyses have focused on the undermining effect: namely, the debate over whether the provision of extrinsic incentives erodes intrinsic motivation. This review and meta-analysis builds on such previous reviews by focusing on the interrelationship among intrinsic motivation, extrinsic incentives, and performance, with reference to 2 moderators: performance type (quality vs. quantity) and incentive contingency (directly performance-salient vs. indirectly performance-salient), which have not been systematically reviewed to date. Based on random-effects meta-analytic methods, findings from school, work, and physical domains (k = 183, N = 212,468) indicate that intrinsic motivation is a medium to strong predictor of performance (ρ = .21-45). The importance of intrinsic motivation to performance remained in place whether incentives were presented. In addition, incentive salience influenced the predictive validity of intrinsic motivation for performance: In a "crowding out" fashion, intrinsic motivation was less important to performance when incentives were directly tied to performance and was more important when incentives were indirectly tied to performance. Considered simultaneously through meta-analytic regression, intrinsic motivation predicted more unique variance in quality of performance, whereas incentives were a better predictor of quantity of performance. With respect to performance, incentives and intrinsic motivation are not necessarily antagonistic and are best considered simultaneously. Future research should consider using nonperformance criteria (e.g., well-being, job satisfaction) as well as applying the percent-of-maximum-possible (POMP) method in meta-analyses.
What the literature says about it
Attributed, open-access quotes from other works that cite this article, plus the citation-graph verdict tally. Corroborations and disputes, in one place — the honest-broker view.
supports “Extensive research shows that participation in sports due to intrinsic reasons or motivations significantly impacts performance outcomes and behaviors (Cerasoli et al., 2014).”
supports “Empirical evidence by [36, 37] have demonstrated the direct impact of motivation on creativity and innovation, which are essential for performance and effectiveness in the dynamic garment industry.”
supports “The meta-analytic evidence from Cerasoli et al. [36] further demonstrated how intrinsic motivation combines with extrinsic factors, such as resource availability and role clarity, to predict performance.”
supports “Role clarity and motivation, however, significantly predicted job performance, supporting Cerasoli et al.’s [36] meta-analytic evidence on the combined effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors.”
supports “At individual level, the study echoes past research demonstrating that intrinsic motivations are a critical intermediate mechanism through which organizational practices can influence employees’ attitudes and behavioral intentions and performance (Cerasoli et al., 2014).”
supports “At individual level, the study echoes past research demonstrating that intrinsic motivations are a critical intermediate mechanism through which organizational practices can influence employees’ attitudes and behavioral intentions and performance (Cerasoli et al., 2014).”
supports “Extensive research shows that participation in sports due to intrinsic reasons or motivations significantly impacts performance outcomes and behaviors (Cerasoli et al., 2014).”
supports “The meta-analytic evidence from Cerasoli et al. [36] further demonstrated how intrinsic motivation combines with extrinsic factors, such as resource availability and role clarity, to predict performance.”
supports “At individual level, the study echoes past research demonstrating that intrinsic motivations are a critical intermediate mechanism through which organizational practices can influence employees’ attitudes and behavioral intentions and performance (Cerasoli et al., 2014).”
supports “Role clarity and motivation, however, significantly predicted job performance, supporting Cerasoli et al.’s [36] meta-analytic evidence on the combined effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors.”
supports “Role clarity and motivation, however, significantly predicted job performance, supporting Cerasoli et al.’s [36] meta-analytic evidence on the combined effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors.”
supports “The meta-analytic evidence from Cerasoli et al. [36] further demonstrated how intrinsic motivation combines with extrinsic factors, such as resource availability and role clarity, to predict performance.”
supports “The meta-analytic evidence from Cerasoli et al. [36] further demonstrated how intrinsic motivation combines with extrinsic factors, such as resource availability and role clarity, to predict performance.”
supports “At individual level, the study echoes past research demonstrating that intrinsic motivations are a critical intermediate mechanism through which organizational practices can influence employees’ attitudes and behavioral intentions and performance (Cerasoli et al., 2014).”
supports “Role clarity and motivation, however, significantly predicted job performance, supporting Cerasoli et al.’s [36] meta-analytic evidence on the combined effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors.”
supports “Extensive research shows that participation in sports due to intrinsic reasons or motivations significantly impacts performance outcomes and behaviors (Cerasoli et al., 2014).”
Ancillary research
Neighbouring works in the citation graph around this article.
Assembled from Principia’s registry — bibliographic record, extracted effect sizes, the models they inform, and open-access citing literature.