Effect of feedback and motivational orientations on intrinsic motivations

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate how dispositional motivational orientations effect the perception of external rewards and the resulting effect on intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation was assessed with the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) while Motivational orientations were assessed with the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ). High school students (n=64) enrolled in physical education courses volunteered to participate in a study which was purported to collect data for a new fitness test (Illinois Agility run). In the practice session, students completed two untimed practice runs and the TEOSQ (Ouda & Nicholls, 1992) combined with a modified, task specific version of the IMI (McAuley, Duncan, & Tammen, 1989). Approximately two weeks later, in the actual session, students completed the runs again. In this session students thought they were being timed by a computer, but in reality the computer was programmed to generate false feedback respective to the randomly assigned treatment condition (positive, negative, or no feedback). The IMI was administered again after the for real runs were completed. Motivational orientations were discarded as a factor due to measurement difficulties. A 3 x 2 (feedback by time) AN OVA was used to investigate the effect of feedback on intrinsic motivation. Negative feedback significantly decreased levels of intrinsic motivation from pre- to post-testing. The three IMI subscales specifically affected were interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, and effort/importance. Contradictory to other studies, positive feedback did not significantly increase levels of intrinsic motivation.