It could. Depends on a number of factors but if encouragement itself acts as an aversive stimulus this could "decrease motivation".

Positive encouragement normally inspires people to do better. If it decreases motivation it is not encouragement. Courage means that you dare to do something.

Marriam-Webster: Definition of encouragement

1 : the act of encouraging : the state of being encouraged

2 : something that encourages

Agreed it’s based on definitions. People often intent to encourage but sometimes the consequence is the opposite of the enourager’s intent. A definition based on the outcome, though, subverts the researcher’s question and creates a circular tautology. It’s not a very practical way to approach any questions about encouragement. perhaps taking a step back and allowing the researcher to decide what he means by encouragement is the first step in any real discussion of the topic instead of using generic dictionary definitions.

Thank you for your answers, but let me to clarify my mean. When it is really encouragement, and its meaning also is transparent for subjects, is there any previous evidence in favor of my question?

Dear Beatrice and readers;

As you know, Motivational Interviewing is a brethren of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This method was developed by William R Miller and Rollnick(1991), the method was introduced in Lancet(2017). It is not a kind of counseling but how to be united with clients. You become a helper to the client, accepting existence of client who are , for example, dependent to alcohol or drugs. Clients have ambivalence disturbing to find their goal. With Motivational Interviewing clients trained to take free option, they are motivated to make their healthy Goal. (H.Harai)

On the other hand, encouragement as the method, is used by each kind of religion, Christianity, Islamism or Buddhism. I suspect myself I am inclined rather to encourage rather than motivate.

Encouragement is a form of 'Verbal Persuasion' and according to Bandura (1997) verbal persuasion is one of the important sources of higher efficacy beliefs. So I think encouragement would definitely motivate people to be more persistent with the task in hand.

To instigate courage in somebody is a positive thing, to discourage is a negative one.

Yes , when the subject is conditioned to perform any activity for long there is chance that a few may get demotivated on encouragement later and even find it nagging. This usually happens when other factors also change. For example if a child is used to eat only after too much coaxing then after some time encouragement to eat on own may demotivate him to eat well as the now the coaxing is stopped and newer conditions are not accepted to the child . However this may be a transient issue.

A child has to try a new food for 23 times before he gets used to it regardless of encouragements.

How about when there is encouragement, but it is very less than something that subjects (preferably normal adults) have expected it?

Motivating students is one of the major challenges teachers face on a daily basis. Conceptualized as students’ energy and drive to engage, learn, work effectively, and achieve their potential at school, motivation and engagement play a large role in students’ interest and enjoyment of school (Martin, 2006). Understandably, both also play huge roles in academic achievement (Martin, 2001; Martin & Marsh, 2003). Consequently, those students who are motivated by and engaged in learning tend to perform considerably higher academically and are better behaved than unmotivated and un-engaged peers (Fredricks, Bulumenfeld, & Paris, 2004).

While much motivation is intrinsic to the student, teachers also play a vital role in the motivation and engagement of their students. A significant portion of student engagement and achievement has been explained by teacher- and classroom-level variables (Hill & Rowe, 1996).

Then it is not encouragement, it is operant conditioning if it does not reach your expectations. Taking away students disturbing mobile phones at certain occasions would be effective discouragement equal to operant conditioning.

Dear Veatrice and readers;

>To instigate courage in somebody is a positive thing, to discourage is a negative one.

One thing should be noted in all the discussions so far. Encouragement is positive based on certain expectations. If the encouragement falls short of expectation or not directed in the expected area or direction, it may tend to demoralize. Again if the encouragement is perceived to have other intentions not agreeable with the recipient of the encouragement, such encouragement may cause anger and tend to discourage in stead. So the fact behind the scene and expectation are important for encouragement to be really positive.

Encouragement has a big effect on one's psyche and perceptions towards something. The teachers' praise and encouragement whether verbally and non-verbally, can positively affect one's relation, motivation and attitudes towards learned subjects. For details, read from

Article Silence is Golden: Effect of Encouragement in Motivating the...

Brunstein, J. C., & Maier, G. W. (2005). Implicit and self-attributed motives to achieve: Two separate but interacting needs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89, 205-222.

According to the self-determination theory, competence is one of three psychological human needs that, if met, increases motivation. Encouragement could be a form of fostering competence or revealing that competence is taking place and therefore could increase motivation.

The word "encouragement" generally refers to any act or gesture which induces the receiver to raise the bar of performance levels.It should have the components of genuineness, value, positive intentions,goodwill and care on the part of the "encourage r"for it to have the right impact.Purely from this perspective it should have a positive correlation with motivation.