The risk is quite high in exposing my ideas for reader's commentary, maybe ridicule. So, this month we turn to motivation. I will discuss how motivation is commonly viewed in science. If you are so motivated, read on. Most often researchers talk about two types of motivation, extrinsic and intrinsic.
Extrinsic motivation is based on concrete or overt rewards.
Intrinsic motivation is based on internal rewards. While this discrimination of motivational sources is intuitively appealing, it appears to break down under closer examination. Intrinsic motivation comes from within. But personal satisfactions can be quite eclectic. That is clearly intrinsic motivation.