Tonya was confused.In order to motivate Sam,one of her employees,she began to pay him for work that she knew he liked to do and for which he was previously not paid.However,she noticed that his overall level of motivation appeared to decrease.The motivation theory that best explains this change is

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According to cognitive evaluation theory, providing extrinsic rewards for tasks that individuals already find intrinsically motivating can actually decrease their overall level of motivation. In this case, Sam may have been initially motivated by the enjoyment of the work itself, but by introducing payment for this work, it may have caused him to perceive the activity as now being done primarily for the external reward rather than for his own enjoyment, thus decreasing his overall motivation.

Tonya Was Confused