CROSS-TASK GENERALIZATION OF INTRINSIC MOTIVATION EFFECTS

Two experiments examined the hypothesis that prior autonomy-supporting and externally-controlling experiences can affect reactions to new ac tivities. In Experiment 1, adult participants received self-determinin g (i.e., autonomy-supporting) pretreatment experience, an externally-c ontrolling pretreatment, or no pretreatment experience with an initial activity and then received an expected task-contingent reward or an u nexpected reward after engaging in a new activity. In Experiment 2, ad ult participants received high competency feedback (i.e., autonomy-sup porting) or average competency feedback following performance of an in itial activity, and then received an expected or unexpected reward aft er engaging in a new activity. The studies showed that initial autonom y-supporting experiences led to heightened intrinsic motivation to pur sue new activities, whereas initial externally-controlling experiences produced relatively lower intrinsic motivation to engage in the new a ctivities. As well, participants' experiences with prior activities in teracted with subsequent reward variations to affect their reactions t o new activities. Significant interaction effects in the two studies s howed that prior autonomy-supporting experiences averted negative moti vational effects of expected rewards on new activities, whereas prior externally-controlling experiences suppressed subsequent intrinsic mot ivation even when reward contingencies were not imposed on the new act ivities.