Authors : Rushabh Shende; Jatin Shrivastav

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 8 - August

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/3rmnd558

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26aug1383

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : This study examines how extrinsic motivators — including grades, monetary incentives, scholarships, and institutional rewards — influence intrinsic motivation among college students, drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as its theoretical foundation. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, primary data were collected from 412 undergraduate students across five colleges via a validated Likert-scale survey (Academic Motivation Scale, adapted), supplemented by 28 semi-structured interviews. Secondary data were drawn from institutional academic records and 34 peer-reviewed sources published between 2015 and 2026. Quantitative analysis using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression revealed a statistically significant negative association between the salience of extrinsic rewards and intrinsic motivation (r = -0.41, p < 0.001), consistent with the overjustification effect. Students exposed to high-stakes monetary incentives reported the lowest intrinsic motivation scores (M = 3.12, SD = 0.81), while those in reward-free or autonomy-supportive conditions reported the highest (M = 4.21, SD = 0.62). Thematic analysis of interview data corroborated these findings, identifying five recurring themes: reduced autonomy, a shift in focus toward grades, diminished curiosity, short-term effort gains, and long-term disengagement. The study concludes that controlling forms of extrinsic motivation undermine intrinsic motivation, whereas informational and autonomy-supportive incentives have a comparatively neutral or even complementary effect. Implications for pedagogical design, grading policy, and student engagement strategy in higher education are discussed.

Keywords : Intrinsic Motivation; Extrinsic Rewards; Self-Determination Theory; Over Justification Effect; Higher Education; Student Engagement; Mixed-Methods Research.

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