Self-Determination: Intrinsic Motivation

Self-determination is a psychological framework for human success and happiness.

One of the underlying necessities for self-determination is a healthy sense of intrinsic motivation. According to the research, there has been a “growing understanding of the dominant role that intrinsic motivation played in individual behavior.”

Intrinsic motivation is the motivation that doesn’t the proverbial carrot or stick to compel. For example, I am writing today not because someone told me they’d pay me or because someone will punish me if I don’t write. I write because I take joy in writing and especially in the learning that happens as I write.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t rewards…just that they come from within. My students don’t have to complete practice logs for a grade; but they do practice because they want the prize of making better music.

It seems counterintuitive for teachers to try to foster intrinsic motivation: the mere existence of a teacher seems to imply a need for extrinsic motivation.

But I don’t think that’s true, any more than it’s true that the members of a symphony are only motivated to play well because they have a conductor in front of them.

So how do we encourage intrinsic motivation as choir teachers?

  1. We create a culture of success and joy in music-making that students want to be a part of.
  2. We cede leadership to peers as much as possible, so they are helping each other find motivation.
  3. We choose repertoire and experiences that students really want to sing and have.
  4. We teach them the framework for turning their desires into concrete growth. That is, we teach them how to use intrinsic motivation.

In 2023, students overwhelmingly don’t know how to be intrinsically motivated. They know how to complete assignments on time, how to study what a teacher told them to study, how to have a properly sharpened #2 pencil when it’s a test day.

Choir classes are a perfect place to create the space and the conditions for intrinsic motivation. And while there may be a dip in performance as you transition from extrinsic (rule-driven, top-down) class atmosphere to intrinsic, the end result is so worth it.

There are three basic psychological needs that are required for self-determination. Tomorrow, let’s explore the first.