The Overjustification Effect
Did you ever suddenly lose interest in doing an activity you enjoy when someone tries to incentivize you with money or prizes? This is not as uncommon as you think. This phenomenon is called the overjustification effect, and it refers to the loss of motivation to complete an activity that we used to enjoy for itself after being offered an external incentive.
Many parents may think they’re encouraging their children’s interest in their hobbies by introducing money or rewards to the equation. But instead of the rewards adding value to the activity, they take away from it; the children feel forced to complete the tasks because otherwise, they won’t get the prizes or the parent’s recognition.