The Use of Rewards to Induce Results

The concept of rewards was examined in the article entitled "Positive effects of rewards and performance standards on intrinsic motivation." The study discussed in this article examined the perceived problem of reduced intrinsic motivation when rewards are used as a motivator for work performance. (Pierce, Banko and So, 2003). The results of this study were surprising, as it seems the previous belief that performance rewards reduce a person's drive for achieving higher performance goals in the absence of rewards, was not entirely correct. The results indicated that certain circumstances involving performance rewards actually stimulated long lasting desires for intrinsically motivated performance in a specific task. (2003).

According to Stone, rewards are simply a form of inducement. (Stone, 2002, pg. 265). They are used to manipulate a person to act or perform in a certain way. In the Polis, rewards are used to align personal motives with community goals. (Stone, 2002, pg. 266). In order to achieve this, a reward is offered, such as a tax break. According to past research and assumptions about the use of rewards, when the reward is removed it was assumed that people would stop acting like they did when they received a reward. However, according to the findings presented by the above study, it seems that if the reward system is set up properly, people will continue to act in line with community goals even after the reward is removed. (Pierce, Banko, and So, 2003).

In order to promote intrinsically motivated compliance with community goals and rules, the polis, according to the article written by Pierce, Banko and So, would need to create a system where people would associated certain rewards with a "graded level of performance." (2003). For example, if the community goal was to get more people to recycle, then a graded rewards system would need to be established that rewarded community members for various levels of recycling efforts. They may receive free curb side recycled item pick ups, they may receive a tax credit for using recycled materials in building their homes, and employers may receive a tax break for implementing recycling programs. To get schools involved a special funding incentive can be offered to schools that start a recycling program and/or that use recycled materials. The value of each reward would be directly tied to how much effort was required. The more effort inputted by the community member the more valuable the reward would be. However, in order for this type of rewards system to work as a motivator of both short term reward based compliance and long term intrinsically motivated compliance, the rewards have to be tangible and the effects of their efforts have to be publicized to create an intrinsic value as well.

Reference

Pierce, W. David, Banko, Katherine, and So, Sylvia. (2003, Fall). "Positive effects of rewards and performance standards on intrinsic motivation." The Psychological Record, 53(4): 561+

Stone, Deborah. (2002). Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making, Revised Edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.