ABSTRACT

The effects of praise on individuals’ motivation are surprisingly complex. According to self-determination theory (SDT), this complexity can be understood by considering the extent to which praise supports or thwarts the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. While some forms of praise contribute to satisfaction of these psychological needs, other forms of praise do not, and may even lead to frustration of these needs. This chapter reviews research on praise through the lens of SDT, thereby attending to the way praise is communicated and to characteristics of individuals receiving praise (e.g., age and gender). It is argued that praise contributes to high-quality motivation only if it is perceived as having informational value for an individual’s skill acquisition and skill development. In contrast, when praise is perceived as a pressuring, evaluative, or manipulative, praise may yield null effects or backfire, thereby producing counterproductive effects on motivation and well-being.