I'll do it, but don't pay me

Ask me to describe myself and I'll tell you that I am caring and loving, that I am compassionate, friendly, as well as a good helper. These traits are important to how I view myself. You take anyone of those away from me and I lose myself. I am schematic for these traits. In other words, I value these traits and use them to build my self-schema, my short cut to understanding information about myself and at times, others (Markus et al., 1987).
As a result of these valued personal traits, I enjoy helping people and value people who I see with similar characters. It can be said that I am intrinsically motivated- I partake in activities for the sake of my own interest and for sheer enjoyment! If someone were to pay me for helping others, my behavior would be over justified. As a result of the overjustification effect my intrinsic motivation may decrease and I may perceive my actions as extrinsically motivated. In other words, I’ll see helping people as something I did for a reward or for my personal benefit and my personal, intrinsic satisfaction with my action will decrease. Take for example when I volunteer. I enjoy spending time working with cancer patients and advocating for the American Cancer Society. If someone were to start paying, I am almost positive I’d stop enjoying the task. As research (Lepper et al. 1973) indicates, when people get “paid” or rewarded for a task they were intrinsically motivated to do, they lose interest in it. Interestingly, if I was to perceive the reward (money) as a sincere gift for a “job well done” my intrinsic motivation may be enhanced by positive feedback (Cameron & Pierce, 1994); good news to me (and to all) because we can all ‘grow up’ to do what we love, work with what we love to do, and get intrinsic satisfaction with out having out work be overjustified.

Markus, H., Hamill, R., & Sentis, K.P. (1987). Thinking fat: self schemas for body weigh and the processing of weight-relevant information. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 17, 50-71.

Cameron, J., & Pierce, W.D. (1994). Reinforcement, reward and intrinsic motivation: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 64, 363-423.


(wow this blog makes me feel really conceded, but I guess that comes as a result of the self subject)