The Influence of Verbal Reward on Intrinsic Motivation in Children
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-1982
Description
In a training phase, a group of second- (24 M and 24 F) and third-graders (24 M and 24 F) were assigned the task of finding objects hidden in pictures and given either no, low, or high verbal reward following the completion of each of two pictures. Thereafter, in a free time phase, the Ss were observed in terms of the length of time they devoted to additional instances of the hidden pictures task. Under the high verbal reward condition, the male S s devoted more free time to the task than the female S s (p < .03). Similar results were reported by other investigators in college students. The results were interpreted to suggest that high verbal reward enhances intrinsic motivation in male second- and third-graders and inhibits intrinsic motivation in female second- and third-graders.
Citation Information
Zinser, Otto; Young, Janice Gayle; and King, Phillip E.. 1982. The Influence of Verbal Reward on Intrinsic Motivation in Children. Journal of General Psychology. Vol.106(1). 85-91. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221309.1982.9710976 ISSN: 0022-1309