Behavior that comes from intrinsic motivations and internal reasoning, as well as self-interest, personal satisfaction, and self-interest, is termed as intrinsic behavior. Of particular interest to psychologists is intrinsic motivation as defined by self-determined persons. People enjoy and derive satisfaction, value, or find meaning in activities and actions that bring joy or are worthwhile and valuable/important to the pursued goal. Reading books, for instance, is out of sheer curiosity, or painting is simply for self-expression, without the expectation of money or public acclaim. Such actions often correlate with greater creativity, more persistence, and enhanced well-being. The self-determination theory posits that intrinsic behavior flourishes when the three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness are satisfied. Such intrinsic actions are different from extrinsic actions, which are controlled or regulated by some outside force or benefactor. Contrary to such extrinsic behaviors, intrinsic actions persist and are self-sustained and self-generated over a given time period, and are thus more preferable. In educational and workplace settings, intrinsic behavior has been found to result in more authentic performance, greater engagement, improved learning outcomes, and better performance.
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