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INTRINSIC VS EXTRINSIC
A study based on the theories of B.F. Skinner
Isabel Ricci
Paulo Salazar
Research Question
The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of intrinsic and extrinsic
rewards on the activity of children. In particular, this research study seeks to
answer the following questions
(1) Will providing extrinsic rewards turn “fun” (an activity which will be engaged
in for its own sake) into “work” (activity which will be engaged in only when the
extrinsic incentives for engaging in that activity are present)?
(2) Will there be patterns of difference based on age and/or gender?
Burrhus Frederic Skinner
March 20, 1904. Susquehanna, Pennsylvania
Son of a Lawyer and a housewife.
Married to Yvonne Blue in 1936
Graduated from Hamilton College as a writer.
Heavily Influenced by Pavlov and Watson
Enrolled in the Psychology Department of Harvard University at the age of 24.
Studies with rats led to Skinner’s Operant behavior which led to Operant
Operant Conditioning
“The process of operant condition describes the fact that any behavior
immediately followed by the presentation of food tends to occur more frequently
thereafter” (Ferster & Skinner, 8).
-
Operant Conditioning: a type of learning where the strength of a behavior is modified by the
behavior’s consequences, aka reward or punishment, and the behavior is controlled by
antecedents called “discriminative stimuli” which come to signal those consequences.
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Positive Punishment and Reinforcement: a goal or motivation tool is presented to a person after
the have exhibited a desired behavior thus making the behavior more likely to occur
-
Reinforcement: the process of encouraging and strengthening a pattern of behavior usually with
reward or punishment.
-
Respondent behavior: A reaction to a stimulus with a certain behavior
Operant Conditioning cont...
“Reinforcement indicates a strengthening effect that occurs when operant
behaviors have certain consequences. Behavior increases in probability when its
outcomes are reinforcing” (Nye, 29-30).
Skinner’s Box and Us
Main work of Skinner
A small box in which an animal can move
about
Animal presses a bar and gets a reward
(usually food)
As time goes on animal presses bar more
Student makes a card and gets a reward
Idea is that students will want to make more
cards in the hopes of getting a reward
Ideally long term study
Form of operant conditioning
frequently to get reward
This is called operant conditioning
“Rewards and punishments do not
always have predictable effects”
Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic
- Extrinsic: Coming from outside of a person - rewarding in either a positive or
negative manner
- Intrinsic: comes from within an individual - it is personally rewarding
“Reward and reinforcement are not the same. Rewards may or may not
strengthen behavior” (Nye, 30).
Hypothesis
We believe that positively reinforcing the behavior within the 2nd graders will yield
more of the expected results. We believe that by reinforcing their behavior with a
physical gift, their motives are rather extrinsic, not intrinsic. We believe that that may not
be the case for the 8th graders because they are older and understand much more. Their
motives may be different than the 2nd graders where they are acting intrinsically. We
believe that the physical reinforcement of a pencil or pen will have a greater effect on the
children, more so on the 2nd graders.
Study
❏ Our study hoped to examine the effect of reinforcements on the intrinsic and
extrinsic motives of students from 2nd and 8th graders.
❏ Will there be a difference in motives based on age?
❏ Will there be a difference in motives based on gender?
Procedure
➢ Asked 10 2nd graders (7 girls, 3 boys) and 6 8th graders (4 boys, 2 girls) if they
were willing to help us out with our research project.
➢ Asked if they were willing to make halloween cards for their prayer partners from
the 2nd/8th grade class.
➢ We provided construction paper and other materials for them to use for their
cards.
➢ When finished, we split them up evenly and gave pencils as a reward/ primary
reinforcer to one group and the conditioned reinforcer of verbal praise for the
Procedure thoughts
The students were not aware that we had pencils and they were not aware that we
gave pencils to only some.
In this way we “minimize[d] some unwanted consequences by preventing the
discovery of reinforcing effects” (Skinner, 58).
“Responses such as ‘good’ and ‘mhmm’ are considered interpersonal stimuli that
promote learning occurrence without awareness” (Spielberger, 73)
This meant that we could achieve our desired response without the students
Procedure
Day 2:
“Internal states are the ‘referents’ of [a person’s]
description of his feelings, and as such are among the
independent variables controlling his verbal behavior”
(Skinner, 256).
- Asked the same groups if they wanted to make another card for their prayer
partners
- We provided construction paper and other materials for them to use for their
cards.
- When finished, we asked if they would like to give a pencil to their prayer
partners along with the cards.
“The
structure of
language
is said
reflect
the
structure
thought”
- Questioned
them
on which
cardtothey
liked
doing
betterofand
why (Skinner,
11).
Results
Results
Results
Results
Results
Results
Results
Results
Results
Results explained
The reasons as to what card the participants
like better and why showed a correlation
between age and motivation
However, gender did not seem to have any
correlation with motivation
2nd graders- only 1 was motivated by given a
pencil away and only 1 was motivated by getting
a pencil last time. The rest varied on what they
drew
8th graders- all were motivated by being able to
give something than just a card to their prayer
partners
Skinner’s ideas
“Age is taken as the principal independent
variable in studying the development of
various...concepts and mental processes”
(Skinner, 88).
“Feelings are at best accompaniments of the
behavior, not causes” (Skinner, 257).
“A man who behaves in ways which reinforce
others is reinforced in turn by the group as well
as by the others. He can discover ways which
will have these consequences by asking
himself whether he would be reinforced”
(Skinner, 261).
“If the response is non-rewarded, the tendency
to repeat it to the same cues is weakened”
(Miller & Dollard, 33)
Limitations
❖ Days given
❖ Participant number
❖ Time limit with the participants
❖ Only had stickers for one day
❖ Only had supplies for 8th graders on second day
Changes
➔Hold study over a longer time period
➔Have more participants
➔Give all a pencil and tell them they will get a pencil if they make a card for
day one
➔Conduct research at a public school
Conclusion
Our hypothesis was proven correct. However, we do realize there were many
limitations and if the study was to be done again we would make some changes.
Skinner believed that it was ultimately a person’s environment that influenced
their behavior the most which would make him more on the nurture side of the
nature/nurture line.
It is the world around us which helps us decide whether we feel better from
intrinsic or extrinsic motivation.
References
Bjork, D. W. (1993). B.F. Skinner: A life. New York: Basic Books.
Birney, R. C., & Teevan, R. C. (1961). Reinforcement, an enduring problem in psychology; selected readings. Princeton, NJ: Van
Nostrand.
Crain, W. (2011). Theories of Development (6th ed.), (pp. 187-203). NJ: Pearson Education.
Eriksen, C. W. (1962). Behavior and awareness; a symposium of research and interpretation. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
Ferster, C. B., & Skinner, B. F. (1957). Schedules of reinforcement, by C.B. Ferster and B.F. Skinner. New York:
Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Nye, R. D. (1979). What is B.F. Skinner really saying? Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Skinner, B. F. (1969). Contingencies of reinforcement: A theoretical analysis. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.