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Related Experiment Videos

Progressing from programmatic to discovery research: a case example with the overjustification effect.

Henry S Roane1, Wayne W Fisher, Erin M McDonough

  • 1Marcus and Kennedy Krieger Institutes, Emory University School Of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30329, USA.

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|May 2, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Unexpectedly, removing rewards increased task engagement, suggesting the reward acted as punishment. This discovery research highlights the complexity of motivation and reward effects.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Research often follows planned (programmatic) or unplanned (discovery) paths.
  • The overjustification effect posits that external rewards decrease intrinsic motivation.

Observation:

  • An initial study aimed to evaluate the overjustification effect through programmatic research.
  • Results showed an increase in responding when the reward contingency was removed, contradicting the hypothesis.

Findings:

  • Further discovery research indicated the reward contingency functioned as punishment.
  • The participant preferred the task over the rewards.
  • Contingency withdrawal led to punishment contrast.

Implications:

  • Challenges the traditional understanding of the overjustification effect.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Suggests reward contingencies can function as punishment.
  • Highlights the importance of considering individual preferences in motivational research.