5 ms·

I remember this book: Punished by Rewards, Alfie Kohn "The basic strategy we use for raising children, teaching students, and managing workers can be summarize

I remember this book: Punished by Rewards, Alfie Kohn "The basic strategy we use for raising children, teaching students, and managing workers can be summarized in six words: do this and you'll get that. We dangle goodies (from candy bars to sales commissions) in front of people in much the same way that we train a family pet. The quick fix of rewards may seem to be effective, but manipulating people with external incentives actually kills their interest in what they are doing and lowers the quality of their work."

rf15 3mo ago
Thanks to something (possibly the ruinous adhd medication regime I went through for my entire childhood) I don't really get any motivation from promises of carrots, only the sticks I try to avoid. Works great though, not unhappy, because doing good work still intrinsically satisfies me. I just really don't care about pleasing people (and yet I often do)
- OroPla 3mo ago
  I never was medicated for anything, yet I still couldn't ever bring myself to care for "rewards". But then the "rewards" in childhood were kinda pointless. Like a good grade. Can't buy anything with a good grade, so what does it matter? I've found myself caring more for video game worlds, since there's a sense of progress coupled with useful rewards in the context of what you are doing. There never was a reward in school that made school work easier.
  - paulryanrogers 3mo ago
    Videogames--and later making / changing them--was my jam growing up. Unlike people who may emotionally hurt you (or you them), games and machines are controllable and predictable. Even multi-player gaming had more feeling of control than messy reality. School by comparison was usually heavily regimented and too abstract for me. Thankfully higher grades in my district granted more and more choices and autonomy.
- AureliusMA 2mo ago
  You might want to look into the difference between : positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and type 1/2 punishments.
LunaSea 3mo ago
We should stop paying people for work, that's also an incentive.

rf15 3mo ago

Thanks to something (possibly the ruinous adhd medication regime I went through for my entire childhood) I don't really get any motivation from promises of carrots, only the sticks I try to avoid. Works great though, not unhappy, because doing good work still intrinsically satisfies me. I just really don't care about pleasing people (and yet I often do)

OroPla 3mo ago
I never was medicated for anything, yet I still couldn't ever bring myself to care for "rewards". But then the "rewards" in childhood were kinda pointless. Like a good grade. Can't buy anything with a good grade, so what does it matter? I've found myself caring more for video game worlds, since there's a sense of progress coupled with useful rewards in the context of what you are doing. There never was a reward in school that made school work easier.
- paulryanrogers 3mo ago
  Videogames--and later making / changing them--was my jam growing up. Unlike people who may emotionally hurt you (or you them), games and machines are controllable and predictable. Even multi-player gaming had more feeling of control than messy reality. School by comparison was usually heavily regimented and too abstract for me. Thankfully higher grades in my district granted more and more choices and autonomy.
AureliusMA 2mo ago
You might want to look into the difference between : positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and type 1/2 punishments.

LunaSea 3mo ago

We should stop paying people for work, that's also an incentive.