A fifth grader has just learned how to do some simple programming on her dad's computer. Now, her class at school is learning programming and she gets gold stars for doing well. If the overjustification effect occurs, what is likely to happen this summer when she no longer gets stars for programming?

a. She will not work as hard as she did before she received the award
b. She will continue at about the same rate as before she was rewarded
c. She will work harder than before she received the award
d. She will only work hard if there is a bigger reward later on

I think the answer is A. because when people are given more extrinsic motivation than necessary to perform a task, their intrinsic motivation declines. Is this correct?

Often that is true, and probably the answer your instructor wants. However, in real life, any of the answers could be right, it depends on the motivation the child has, and the rewards she sees. Delayed gratification could well play an important part, as could internallized self awards.

Yes, you are correct. According to the overjustification effect, when people are given excessive external rewards or incentives for activities they initially found interesting or enjoyable, their intrinsic motivation may decrease. In this case, the fifth grader was initially motivated by the gold stars she received for doing well in programming. Once the summer comes and she no longer receives these rewards, it is likely that her motivation to work hard in programming will decrease, leading to option A: she will not work as hard as she did before she received the award.

Yes, you are correct. The overjustification effect refers to the phenomenon where an individual's intrinsic motivation to engage in a particular activity decreases when they are given an excessive external reward or reinforcement for engaging in that activity. In this case, the gold stars serve as an extrinsic reward for the fifth grader's programming efforts.

When the summer comes and the gold stars are no longer available, the overjustification effect suggests that the fifth grader's intrinsic motivation to program will decrease. This could lead to a decrease in her effort and interest in programming compared to before she received the rewards. Therefore, option A is the most likely outcome in this scenario.

It is important to note that not everyone will experience the overjustification effect in the same way. Some individuals may still have a strong intrinsic motivation for programming despite the absence of external rewards, while others may continue at about the same rate (option B) or even work harder (option C). However, based on the general understanding of the overjustification effect, option A is the most probable outcome.