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Year 11
AQA

Motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic

I can explain the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in sport and provide relevant examples for each.

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New
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Year 11
AQA

Motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic

I can explain the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in sport and provide relevant examples for each.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Intrinsic motivation comes from within, driven by personal satisfaction or achievement.
  2. Extrinsic motivation comes from external sources, like receiving awards or recognition from others.
  3. Intrinsic motivation often leads to long-term commitment, as the motivation is personal and internal.
  4. Extrinsic motivation provides immediate rewards and recognition.
  5. Overuse of extrinsic motivation can undermine the strength of intrinsic motivation.

Keywords

  • Intrinsic motivation - the drive that comes from within- e.g. for pride, for satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment, for self-worth

  • Extrinsic motivation - the drive to perform well or to win in order to gain external rewards (e.g. prizes, money, praise)

  • Tangible - something that can be seen and touched, e.g. a trophy

  • Intangible - something that cannot be seen and touched e.g. praise

Common misconception

Intrinsic motivation is always the best type of motivation.

Extrinsic motivation has its time and place, particularly with short term goals or with very young people. Intrinsic is much better when long term commitment and persistence is required.


To help you plan your year 11 physical education lesson on: Motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Start the lesson by handing out some small tangible extrinsic rewards for some trivial reasons (eg. first through the door, first to say hello) to connect to the topic and refer back to them when discussing the content.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following best describes how introverted athletes might react to high-pressure situations in a large group of people?
Correct answer: they are more likely to become overwhelmed by external distractions
they thrive on external pressure and perform better under stressful conditions
they may feel energised and perform better with the attention of the crowd
Q2.
Which of the following is a potential negative impact of aggression on an athlete’s performance?
aggression helps the athlete to stay focused and motivated
Correct answer: aggression may cause the athlete to lose control resulting in penalties or fouls
aggression can help improve team dynamics and performance
aggression can lead to improved concentration and skill execution
Q3.
According to the inverted U theroy, how does arousal level impact performance?
Correct Answer:low arousal,lacking energy and effort will lead to poor performance
tick

lacking energy and effort will lead to poor performance

Correct Answer:optimal arousal,make good decisions and perform skills as well as possible
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make good decisions and perform skills as well as possible

Correct Answer:high arousal,make poor decisions, possibly behave unsportingly or inappropriately
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make poor decisions, possibly behave unsportingly or inappropriately

Q4.
Which of the following could be described as tangible?
a person's reputation
the feeling of excitement
dreaming of success
Correct answer: a winner's medal
the team's goals
Q5.
Which of the following is an example of motivation in sport coming from within you?
a gymnast competes to receive praise from coaches and family members
a football player plays because they want to sign a professional contract
Correct answer: A swimmer practices daily because they enjoy improving their technique
a tennis player trains hard to win a gold medal at the Olympics
Q6.
refers to the internal or external factors that drive individuals to take action.
Correct Answer: motivation

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the source of motivation to the type of motivation.
Correct Answer:being awarded a medal,tangible extrinsic
tick

tangible extrinsic

Correct Answer:your friends shouting "well done!",intangible extrinsic
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intangible extrinsic

Correct Answer:feeling of self-worth,intrinsic
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intrinsic

Q2.
Tangible rewards can be a great source of pride that people display in their homes.
Correct Answer: extrinsic
Q3.
Which of these are examples of tangible rewards?
Correct answer: medal
praise
Correct answer: certificates
Correct answer: trophies
satisfaction
Q4.
"I love hearing the crowd cheer, that's what motivates me" is an example of what type of motivation?
extrinsic and tangible
intrinsic
Correct answer: Extrinsic intangible
Q5.
motivation is more likely to lead to sustained participation and effort.
Correct Answer: intrinsic
Q6.
Which of these are dangers of over-relying on extrinsic rewards for motivation?
Correct answer: they're not always going to be received which could result in loss of motivation
it will mean you can display them at home
Correct answer: it will undermine intrinsic motivation
it will lead to sustained effort and commitment