Metamotivational Beliefs about Task Rewards: Attitudes, Perceived Effects, and Reported Prevalence

Metamotivation refers to beliefs about motivation and the processes needed to monitor, control, and regulate it. Research from self-determination theory has shown that certain rewards such as competition and performance contingencies undermine intrinsic motivation, while others like positive feedback enhance it. To shed light on learners’ metamotivational beliefs about rewards, this study investigated Saudi language learners’ (N = 316) attitudes toward, perceived effects of, and reported prevalence of certain task rewards (namely, competitively contingent, performance contingent, task contingent, non-contingent, unexpected, and positive feedback) to examine how these beliefs correspond to evidence-based recommendations. Results revealed that learners recognized the value of positive feedback. However, they also favored and believed that competitions and performance-contingent rewards would enhance motivation, contrary to empirical evidence. There were also some gender differences, with male learners favoring performance-contingent rewards more, while female learners reported a higher prevalence of competitions and performance-contingent rewards and a lower prevalence of positive feedback. The findings demonstrate a mismatch between learners’ metamotivational beliefs endorsing undermining rewards and research on their detrimental effects. These results have implications for enhancing intrinsic motivation, quality engagement, and psychological well-being.