Rewards Can Diminish Motivation

Gamification often mistakenly focuses on adding external rewards like points and badges to enhance engagement, but this approach can actually undermine intrinsic motivation. Studies show that when individuals expect rewards, their intrinsic interest in the activity diminishes. In an experiment involving children drawing, those expecting rewards spent significantly less time engaging in the activity compared to those with no expectations. Understanding the distinction between intrinsic motivation—doing things for their inherent satisfaction—and extrinsic motivation—doing things for external rewards—is crucial. Relying on rewards can lead to a decrease in genuine interest and creativity.