Motivation Mastery Slides The Motivation Spark
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
The $20 Experiment
"If I paid you $20 to play your favorite video game for an hour, but then stopped paying you... would you still want to play it as much?"
Initial Thought:
Of course! It's my favorite game. Free money is just a bonus.
Psychological Reality:
You might actually find yourself enjoying it less once the pay stops. Why?
Two Sources of Drive
Intrinsic
Behavior driven by internal rewards. You do it because it's naturally satisfying, interesting, or fun.
Mastery & Learning
Personal Enjoyment
Curiosity
Extrinsic
Behavior driven by external rewards or to avoid punishment.
Money & Grades
Praise & Fame
Deadline Pressure
The Overjustification Effect
"When an external incentive decreases a person's intrinsic motivation to perform a task."
By adding a reward, the brain starts to think: "I must be doing this for the reward, not because I actually like it."
Crucial Concept!
The Lepper Study (1973)
Can giving children gold stars actually make them less likely to draw for fun later?
The Experiment: Preschoolers & Markers
Group A: Expected
"If you draw, you get a 'Good Player' certificate."
Result:
Lost interest in drawing once the certificates stopped.
Group B: Unexpected
Drew for fun, then were surprised with a certificate afterward.
Result:
Kept high intrinsic interest. The reward didn't "pollute" the fun.
Group C: No Reward
Simply drew for fun with no rewards involved at any time.
Result:
Kept high intrinsic interest. Drawing remained its own reward.
Key Takeaway: Anticipation changes everything.
Is your drive being "hijacked"?
What is one hobby you love doing just for yourself?
Would you still do it if it became a "job" with strict quotas and pay?
Drawing Dilemma Worksheet The Drawing Dilemma
Case Study: The Overjustification Effect
Name:
Date:
PART 1: DEFINING THE DRIVE
Intrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic Motivation
PART 2: THE LEPPER STUDY (1973)
Researchers Mark Lepper, David Greene, and Richard Nisbett observed preschoolers during their free-play time. They identified children who naturally loved to draw with felt-tip markers (intrinsic interest). They then divided these children into three groups:
Group 1: Expected Reward. Children were told if they used the markers, they would get a "Good Player" certificate with a gold seal and ribbon.
Group 2: Unexpected Reward. Children drew with the markers and were surprised with a certificate afterward.
Group 3: No Reward. Children simply drew with the markers as they usually did.
1. Two weeks later, the researchers brought the markers back but offered NO rewards. Which group do you think spent the LEAST amount of time drawing? Why?
2. Define the "Overjustification Effect" in your own words based on this result.
3. Why didn't Group 2 (Unexpected Reward) lose their interest in drawing? What is the psychological difference between a "bribe" and a "surprise"?
PART 3: PERSONAL APPLICATION
Think of a hobby or activity you do purely for the joy of it (gaming, reading, sports, cooking, etc.).
My Activity:
If you were suddenly forced to do this activity for 5 hours a day for a $50 daily payment, how might your relationship with that activity change after 3 months?
Motivation Mastery Teacher Guide The Motivation Spark
Teacher Facilitation Guide
Duration
60-90 Minutes
Audience
10th Grade
Goal
Identify motivation types.
Instructional Flow
1
The Video Game Hook (10 mins)
Start with the thought experiment on Slide 2. Push students to defend their answers. Most will say "I'd still play," but guide them to think about how the feeling of playing changes when it's for money vs. for fun.
"If you're being paid, you're now an employee. Employees feel pressure. Fun doesn't feel like pressure."
2
Definitions & Direct Instruction (15 mins)
Use Slides 3 and 4 to define Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation. Use the "Inside Out" vs. "Outside In" metaphor. Ensure students understand that extrinsic isn't always "bad," but it is "different."
3
Case Study Analysis (30 mins)
Distribute The Drawing Dilemma Worksheet . Students should read the study description and answer the analysis questions. This can be done individually or in pairs.
Worksheet Answer Key
Part 2, Question 1: Results
Expected Result: Group 1 (Expected Reward).
Why? They began to attribute their behavior to the external reward rather than their own interest. When the reward vanished, the "reason" for the behavior vanished too.
Part 2, Question 2: Definition
Overjustification Effect: Occurs when an external incentive (like money or prizes) decreases a person's internal drive to do a task they already enjoyed. The reward "over-justifies" the behavior, making it feel like work.
Part 2, Question 3: Bribe vs. Surprise
Bribe: A reward offered before or during the task (Group 1). It creates an expectation and shifts the focus.Surprise: A reward given after completion (Group 2). It feels like an acknowledgment or bonus, rather than the primary reason for doing the work.
Differentiation & Extension
Scaffolding: Provide a word bank for definitions (internal, external, incentive, drive).
Extension: Ask students to find a real-world example of a time they felt the "Overjustification Effect" in a sport or school subject.
Token Economy Slides Economy of Behavior
The Pros & Cons of Token Economies
The Definition
A system of contingency management based on the systematic reinforcement of target behavior.
The Formula:
Action = Token = Reward
Target Behavior
(e.g., Sitting quietly)
Secondary Reinforcer
(Tokens, points, stickers)
Primary Reinforcer
(Snacks, privileges, toys)
Where do we see this?
Schools
PBIS programs, "Eagle Bucks," gold stars, class pizza parties for attendance.
Correctional Centers
Privileges (yard time, phone calls) earned through "good behavior" points.
Workplaces
Performance bonuses, employee of the month perks, commission-based sales.
The "Transactional" Trap
When we treat behavior like a currency, we risk creating a "What's in it for me?" mindset.
Behavior stops as soon as the "tokens" stop.
Students may start "gaming the system" just for points.
Empathy and kindness become things you sell.
The Ethical Dilemma
"If I only help a classmate because I get a 'Kindness Point,' am I actually being kind?"
Audit Time!
We are going to analyze a hypothetical school's "Behavior Bucks" program. Is it building character, or just building consumers?
Behavior Bucks Worksheet Systems Audit 02
Bucks vs. Behavior
Analyzing Institutional Reward Systems
Investigator:
System Date:
THE SYSTEM: Oakwood High "Spirit Bucks"
How to Earn
• Perfect Attendance (Weekly): 10 Bucks
• No Tardies (Daily): 2 Bucks
• Helping a Teacher: 5 Bucks
• Scoring 90%+ on a Test: 15 Bucks
• Reporting a Rule-Breaker: 20 Bucks
The "Spirit Store" Menu
• Front-of-Line Pass: 50 Bucks
• Oakwood School Hoodie: 200 Bucks
• "Homework Pass": 100 Bucks
• Extra 10 mins Lunch: 75 Bucks
• Lunch with the Principal: 500 Bucks
1. The "Why" Analysis
Choose one behavior from the "How to Earn" list (e.g., Reporting a Rule-Breaker). Before this system existed, why might a student do that? Now that it costs 20 Bucks, how has the motivation shifted?
2. The Long-Term Problem
Imagine Oakwood High runs out of funding for the "Spirit Store" and cancels the program next semester. Predict what will happen to student behavior (attendance, tardiness, helping others). Use the term extinction in your answer.
Ethical Flag: Fairness
Which students might have an easier time earning bucks? Which students might find it impossible? Explain the "equity" issue here.
Social Impact: "Snitching"
The school pays 20 Bucks for "Reporting Rule-Breakers." How does this impact the culture and trust between students?
System Redesign
How could you acknowledge "good behavior" without turning the school into a mini-marketplace? Brainstorm 2 alternatives that focus on intrinsic value or community connection.
01
02
Token Economy Teacher Guide Economy of Behavior
Teacher Facilitation Guide | Lesson 2
Core Concept
A Token Economy is an artificial reward system. While highly effective for short-term compliance, it often fails to foster long-term character or internal drive.
Key Vocabulary
Contingency: The "If/Then" relationship.
Facilitation Notes
The Hook: Student Experience
Ask students to recall a time they were "paid" in school with stickers, candy, or fake money. Follow up: "Did you do the work because you were interested, or because you wanted the prize?" Most students will admit to the latter. Ask if they still do those behaviors today now that the stickers are gone.
Analyzing Oakwood High
While students work on the Bucks vs. Behavior Worksheet , circulate and look for these common insights:
The "Snitching" Dilemma: Paying students to report rule-breakers is a classic ethical trap. It encourages a "surveillance state" culture where students stop trusting each other. Ask: "Is a school a community or a prison?"
The Equity Gap: Students with high attendance and good grades find it easy to get rich. Students struggling with home issues or learning disabilities get "poorer," creating a cycle of frustration and further behavioral issues.
Worksheet Guidance
Question 1 (Shift):
Expected: Behavior shifts from civic duty (helping a teacher) to a commercial transaction (selling help). The focus moves from the person helped to the profit gained.
Question 2 (Extinction):
Expected: Once funding stops, behaviors like extra helping or perfect attendance often drop below the level they were at before the rewards started (the Overjustification Effect in action).
Sample Redesign Ideas (for students who get stuck):
"Acknowledging kindness with a handwritten note or public shout-out (social reinforcement) rather than a coin."
"Class-wide goals: If the whole class achieves [Goal], the group gets a privilege (extra music time). This builds teamwork."
Nudge Ethics Slides The Hidden Nudge
The Ethics of Behavioral Control
The Secret Sauce
Variable Ratio Schedules
Reinforcement is delivered after an unpredictable number of responses.
"If you know exactly when the reward is coming, you might take breaks. If you don't know, you never stop checking."
The Slot Machine
The ultimate variable reinforcer. One more pull...
The "Pull to Refresh"
Social media feeds work exactly like slot machines.
What is a "Nudge"?
A subtle change in the choice architecture that predictably alters behavior without forbidding any options.
Example:
Placing fruit at eye level in a cafeteria so students are more likely to pick it than the chips on the bottom shelf.
Is it manipulation?
Lack of Consent
Most people don't realize their environment is designed to make them act a certain way.
Addiction
Variable rewards create "compulsive" behaviors that are hard to break.
Loss of Autonomy
Are you making choices, or is the app making them for you?
The Streak Dilemma
Why it works:
"Loss Aversion." We hate losing what we've built. The fear of breaking a 300-day streak is a powerful reinforcer.
The Ethical Question:
Are you using the app because you enjoy it, or because you're afraid to stop?
App Addict Analysis Worksheet App Addict Analysis
Audit: Variable Reinforcement in Your Pocket
User ID:
Audit Date:
STEP 1: QUANTITATIVE DATA
Check your phone's 'Screen Time' or 'Digital Wellbeing' settings for the last 7 days.
Daily Average
Hours / Minutes
Top App #1
Name of App
Daily Pickups
Number of times
STEP 2: VARIABLE REINFORCER HUNT
Analyze your Top App . Find three specific features designed to keep you coming back using variable reinforcement (rewards you can't predict).
Feature Name
Why is it "Variable"?
Feature Name
Why is it "Variable"?
Feature Name
Why is it "Variable"?
STEP 3: PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT
1. Loss Aversion & Streaks:
If you have a "streak" in an app (Snapchat, Duolingo, Fitness), how do you feel when you are about to lose it? Does the app feel more like a fun game or a chore at that moment?
2. Autonomy Audit:
Think about the last time you opened an app "by accident" or "without thinking." What was the nudge that triggered that pickup? (A red notification badge? A sound? Just boredom?)
Choice Architecture Hack
How will you redesign your "choice architecture" to reduce the app's power over you? List two concrete steps (e.g., turning off certain notifications, moving an app to a secondary folder).
Nudge Ethics Teacher Guide The Hidden Nudge
Teacher Facilitation Guide | Lesson 3
Core Concept
Nudge Theory and Variable Reinforcement are used by designers to influence behavior subconsciously. This lesson helps students move from "Consumer" to "Analyst."
Key Vocabulary
Choice Architecture: The way choices are presented to us.
Facilitation Notes
Sensitivity Note: Screen Time
Students may feel defensive or ashamed of their high screen time stats. Frame the activity as a "hack" on the system rather than a judgment on their character.
"These apps are designed by some of the smartest psychologists in the world specifically to keep you on them. If you're spending a lot of time on them, the app is working as designed. Our goal is to see how they do it."
Defining the "Variable" Features
Students might struggle to identify "Variable" features. Here are some cheat-sheet examples for the App Addict Analysis Worksheet :
Likes/Comments: You never know how many you'll get when you post.TikTok/Reels: Every swipe is a new video; some are boring, some are amazing. Unpredictable.Snapchat Streaks: The "reward" is the number going up, but the threat is losing it if you don't act daily.Loot Boxes: In games, you pay for a chest but don't know the rarity of the item inside.
Class Discussion Questions
1. Good Nudge vs. Bad Nudge?
If a cafeteria nudges you to eat fruit, that's "good." If an app nudges you to stay up until 2 AM scrolling, that's "bad." Who gets to decide what a "good" nudge is?
2. The Consent Problem
Should apps be required to warn you if they are using variable reinforcement techniques, like cigarettes have warning labels?
Step 4: Redesign Examples
Common "Architecture Hacks" students can list:
Turn off "Red Dot" badges (they create urgency).
Move social media apps to the last page of the home screen.
Turn off "Read Receipts" to reduce the pressure to reply instantly.
Use Grayscale mode (apps are less "rewarding" to the brain without color).
The Grade Debate Slides The Grade Debate
Motivation vs. Manipulation
The Question
"Would you still do the work for this class if you received feedback but no grades?"
"I'd only do what I was interested in."
Internal Drive Only
"I wouldn't do anything at all."
Extrinsic Dependency
The Pro-Grade Argument
Clear Feedback: Grades provide a standard, objective metric for success.
Accountability: They motivate students to complete difficult or boring tasks they might otherwise ignore.
Career Readiness: Life has "grades" (performance reviews, salaries). School should prepare you for this.
"Positive Reinforcement in its purest form."
The Anti-Grade Argument
"The Overjustification Effect at work."
Kill Joy: Grades shift the focus from "learning" to "performing." Curiosity is replaced by compliance.
Risk Aversion: Students avoid hard classes or creative risks because they are afraid of a "bad grade."
Diminishing Returns: Once the grade is given, the "motivation" to remember the material often vanishes.
Debate Protocols
Timing
• Opening Statements: 2 mins
• Rebuttal: 1 min
• Closing Argument: 1 min
Requirements
• Must use at least 2 Lesson terms.
• Must address the counter-point.
• Must use evidence from studies.
The Grade Debate Prep Worksheet Debate Prep: The Grade Trap
Analyzing Letter Grades as Positive Reinforcers
My Stance:
PRO-GRADES
ANTI-GRADES
Required Terminology
You must use at least 3 of these during your debate speech.
Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Reinforcer Overjustification Effect Token Economy Behavioral Extinction
1. The Opening Salvo (Main Claim)
In one or two sentences, state your team's primary argument regarding the impact of grades on learning.
2. Evidence & Study Reference
Which psychological concept or study (Lepper, Token Economies, Nudges) supports your claim? Explain the connection.
ANTICIPATING THE COUNTER
What they will say:
"But without grades, students wouldn't have any incentive to do work they find difficult or boring."
My Rebuttal:
How will you answer that specifically? (Think about intrinsic motivation vs. compliance).
3. The Final "Mic Drop"
Draft a powerful concluding thought that addresses the "essential question" of the whole unit: Is a grade a reward or a bribe?
Start writing here...
The Grade Debate Rubric Debate Scoring Rubric
Topic: Letter Grades as Reinforcement
Speaker Name:
Team:
Criteria Beginning (1) Developing (2) Proficient (3) Exemplary (4) Psychology Vocabulary No terms from lessons used. Used 1 term, but maybe incorrectly. Used 2 terms correctly (e.g., Extrinsic). Used 3+ terms fluently (e.g., Overjustification). Evidence & Logic Arguments based only on personal opinion. Mentioned a study but didn't link to claim. Linked claim to a study (Lepper or Skinner). Integrated evidence seamlessly into logic. Rebuttal Quality Ignored opponent's points entirely. Acknowledged opponent but didn't counter. Directly addressed a counter-point. Strategically dismantled opponent's evidence. Professionalism Disrespectful or lacked eye contact. Read entirely from paper; low volume. Good eye contact; spoke clearly. Persuasive delivery; engaged the audience.
Strengths
Growth Areas
Total Score:
/ 16
Synthesis Project Slides Rewarding Responsibly
Synthesizing Motivation Mechanics
The Story So Far
Spark
Intrinsic motivation is fragile.
Economy
Tokens can create transactional kids.
Nudge
Hidden triggers control behavior.
Grades
The ultimate carrot and stick.
"So... how do we use rewards without breaking the person?"
The Final Project
You are a Motivation Consultant. You must create a set of "Best Practices" for parents or teachers.
Define the 3 "Golden Rules" of rewarding.
Identify the 2 "Red Flags" to avoid.
Provide a real-world scenario example.
The Deliverable
A 1-page "Best Practices Guide" ready for professional distribution.
Hook: The Bad Advice
"Dear Abby, my 8-year-old hates reading. I decided to pay him $10 for every book he finishes. It's working! He's read 5 books this week. I plan to keep doing this until he loves reading as much as I do. What do you think?"
The Question for You:
What will happen to this child's love of reading in 6 months? What is the "responsible" alternative?
"A reward is a tool, not a cure. Use it to spark interest, not to replace it."
Responsibility Rewards Guide Project Responsibility Rewards Guide
A Best Practices Framework for Parents & Educators
Consultant Name:
Task: Synthesize what you have learned about the Overjustification Effect, Token Economies, and Nudge Theory to create a 1-page professional guide. Your goal is to help others use positive reinforcement without destroying intrinsic motivation.
THE 3 GOLDEN RULES
01
Rule 1 (Motivation Spark):
Describe a rule about when or how to offer rewards...
02
Rule 2 (Transparency/Choice):
Describe a rule about nudge theory or ethics...
03
Rule 3 (The Goal):
Describe a rule about the long-term goal of a system...
THE RED FLAGS (What to Avoid)
Stop using rewards if...
Never use rewards for...
THE SCENARIO MAKEOVER
Take the "Dear Abby" reading scenario (a parent paying $10 per book). Rewrite the parent's approach based on your Golden Rules . How would you handle this differently?
Your professional recommendation goes here...
Synthesis Project Teacher Guide Rewarding Responsibly
Project Facilitation & Assessment Guide
Synthesis Goal
Students must bridge the gap between psychological theory and practical application. The project tests if they can recognize transactional traps and replace them with internal drive supports.
Final Deliverable
A 1-page "Best Practices Guide" (using the provided template). Assessment should focus on the depth of the "Rules" and the effectiveness of the "Scenario Makeover."
Assessment Criteria
1. Depth of Rules (Synthesis)
Do the rules address why a reward is being used? Do they mention things like 'unexpected' vs. 'expected' rewards? (referencing Lepper study).
2. Awareness of Ethics (Nudge Theory)
Does the guide mention transparency or autonomy? Does it warn against "hidden" control or addictive features?
3. The Makeover (Application)
Instead of paying for books, does the student suggest: social reinforcement (discussing the book together), building intrinsic value (letting the kid pick the genre), or unexpected rewards (going to a bookstore after a week of reading)?
Facilitation Tips
Peer Review: Have students trade guides. One acts as the "Struggling Parent" and the other as the "Consultant." Can the parent actually follow the guide?The "Abby" Response: Use the Slide 4 "Dear Abby" prompt as a timed 5-minute writing warm-up before they start their project to get their brains in "Consultant" mode.Long-term Thinking: Ask: "If your system works today, will it still work in 5 years when the reward is gone?" If the answer is No, the guide needs a new Golden Rule. 
