Autotelic Activities

Definition

An autotelic activity is an activity that an individual engages in as an end in itself rather than for the external rewards that it may produce.

Introduction

An autotelic activity is engaged in as an end in itself rather than for the external rewards it may produce. That is, the activity is inherently rewarding, and the associated motivation is intrinsic. The components of the word “autotelic” are Greek; auto translates to “self” and telos translates to “goal.” Autotelic activities are contrasted with exotelic activities which are undertaken in order to obtain rewards such as money or fame.

The same activity can be considered autotelic or exotelic depending upon a person’s motivation for engaging in the activity. For example, a person may cook an elaborate dish to bring to an upcoming social gathering. If the person’s motivation is a sense of obligation or the desire to display their impressive cooking abilities, the activity would be exotelic. If the person’s motivation is...