A new study is challenging many parents beliefs that rewarding kids can be a great motivator to get the kids to perform.
We all do it. We offer incentives for cleaning up rooms, brushing teeth to eating all of food. But do those rewards really motivate kids?
A new study was released researching the effect of rewards on kids. Psychologists Mark. R. Lepper and David Greene from Stanford and the University of Michigan decided to test rewards as motivators for children.
They recruited 51 preschoolers between the ages of three and four who loved to draw. They felt it was important for the kids to like drawing because they wanted to see the effect it would have on the children.
Guess what they found?
They split the children up into three groups. The first group expected a reward. They were told they would get a certificate with a gold ribbon if they went and drew on some paper.
The second group was offered a surprise reward. The kids got the same reward but were not told about it until the end of drawing.
The third group received no reward and expected no reward.
The kids who got the surprise reward and the no reward worked on drawing longer than the expected reward group.
Studies have shown the same for adults leaving them associating negative thoughts when rewards are received. We see this everyday. When we are paid for doing something we love, we begin to lose motivation to do the work.
My husband used to work for a company that offered bonuses for increased sales. It begin to be all about the goals and bonuses. Work was suffering because people just wanted to get done so they were closer to goal. They quit enjoying their job just went through the motions to get the rewards.
Rewards can sometimes decrease creativity. Is this what we want for our kids?
I have friends who do not offer money for chores, because they feel that is their children's duty as part of the family. Maybe I should rethink my own use of rewards for work done by my kids.
What are your thoughts on this? Feel free to leave them in the comment section below. For more information on the study, visit
http://www.spring.org.uk/2009/10/how-rewards-can-backfire-and-reduce-motivation.php
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