Internal motives for doing good things

When there are many reasons for doing something, a person can attribute it to external influences rather than internal motives.

By rewarding people for what they would have done without any reward, we undermine their internal motivation.

This principle can also be stated in an affirmative form: by rejecting rewards and threats and allowing people to find internal motives for doing good deeds, you can ensure that they will begin to do them on their own initiative and will enjoy it.

Daniel Bateson studied the effect of over-justification and found that students were more satisfied if they agreed to help someone without money and without any social pressure. When help was given under pressure or for money, this feeling was much less pronounced. In one experiment, researchers put subjects in such conditions that they provided help either because they were forced to comply ("there Seems to be no other way out") (the first group), or out of compassion ("the Guy really needs help») (second group). Later, when they were asked to work as volunteers, the first group found only 25% of those willing, and the second – 60%. Morality? When people ask themselves: "Why am I helping?" – the best thing is if they have the opportunity to answer:"Because help is needed, and I am a caring and unselfish person."

By allowing people to find their own internal justification for committing an altruistic act (without offering rewards for agreeing or threatening punishment for refusing), we create the conditions for them to attribute their behavior to their own altruistic motives and continue to help more willingly.