Stella is very serious about dancing and starts college as a dance major. The more serious she gets about dancing, the more she worries about the pressure to succeed and the rewards associated with succeeding. She finds that dancing feels like a chore and something she has to do rather than wants to do. Her change in her views about dance is due to what social psychologists call __________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Stella's change in views towards dancing is due to overjustification. This occurs when external rewards (such as the pressure to succeed or the rewards associated with succeeding) take away from the intrinsic enjoyment of an activity (in this case, dancing). This leads to a shift from seeing the activity as something one wants to do to something one has to do.

Stella Is Very Serious About Dancing and Starts College as a Dance