Which of the following is a potential downside of tangible rewards?

• A. Increased creativity
• B. Dependency
• C. Greater autonomy
• D. Enhanced intrinsic motivation

Answer: (B)

External tangible rewards can create dependence: students may start engaging mainly to obtain the reward and lose motivation when the rewards stop. This shows how extrinsic incentives can crowd out internal drive, a phenomenon often called the overjustification effect. In PE, that means long-term participation and effort may dwindle once rewards aren’t there.

The other ideas aren’t the typical downside. Rewards aren’t designed to increase autonomy; they usually express external control rather than self-determination. While rewards can influence creativity, the risk you’re looking for in this context is the shift to reward-driven behavior. And although intrinsic motivation is valuable, tangible rewards tend to undermine it rather than enhance it.