Daniel Pink: Extrinsic Rewards Fail to Motivate
In environments where extrinsic rewards are most salient, many people work only to the point that triggers the reward—and no further. So if students get a prize for reading three books, many won't pick up a fourth, let alone embark on a lifetime of reading—just as executives who hit their quaterly numbers often won't boost earnings a penny more, let alone contemplate the long-term health of their company. Likewise, several studies show that paying people to exercise, stop smoking, or take their medicines produces terrific results at fist—but that the healthy behavior disappears once the incentives are removed. However, when contingent rewards ["if-then" rather than "now-that" motivators] aren't involved, or when incentives are used with the proper deftness, performances improves and understanding deepens.
From page 53 of Daniel H. Pink's new book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us (2009). More on motivational theories.
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