Motivation as a function of success frequency

It is well-established that intermediate challenge is optimally motivating. We tested whether this can be quantified into an inverted-U relationship between motivation and success frequency. Participants played a game in which they navigated a scene to catch targets. In Experiment 1 (N = 101), play duration was free and the motivating value of success frequency was measured from the probability that a player would continue at that frequency. In Experiment 2 (N = 70), play duration was fixed, and motivation was measured using repeated self-reports. In Experiment 1, the probability to continue increased linearly with the success frequency whereas play duration did show the inverted-U relationship with success frequency. In Experiment 2, self-reported motivation showed the inverted-U relationship with success frequency. Together, this shows that motivation depends on success frequency. In addition, we provide tentative evidence that the concept of intermediate challenge being most motivating can be quantified into an inverted-U relationship between motivation and success frequency.