Intrinsic motivation concerns engaging in behaviors for their own sake because of the pleasure inherent in the activity itself. It is associated with engaging in difficult and challenging learning and performance tasks that provide inherent satisfaction. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, concerns engaging in behaviors due to consequences that are contingent on activity performance. Over the past several decades of research, these two aspects of motivation have often been placed in juxtaposition to each other. Early research indicated that individuals’ intrinsic motivation is lower subsequent to receiving incentives contingent on task performance, referred to as the undermining effect. Contemporary research reveals that across age groups from childhood through adulthood, intrinsic motivation is an important factor that is positively related to learning and performance regardless ...