Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are well established terms in the literature on the psychology of motivation, primarily from a set of theories called Self-Determination Theory, which was developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan at the University of Rochester.

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On the other hand, students who are motivated to learn have higher achievement, show better understanding of the concepts they are taught, are more satisfied with school, and have lower dropout rates, according to a variety of studies reviewed by Edward Deci and colleagues.

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