A promised certificate made children draw less later

The study

1. 01

   Who took part

   51 preschool children, about 3 to 5 years old, from a nursery school at Stanford University. All had shown interest in drawing before the study.

2. 02

   What they did

   Each child drew for six minutes alone in a separate room with felt-tip markers. One group agreed beforehand to draw for a certificate, a second got it afterwards without warning, and a third got nothing. Their free drawing in class was watched through a one-way mirror 1 to 2 weeks later.

3. 03

   What happened

   Children who had agreed to the certificate later drew for about 9% of their free time. The other two groups drew for about 18% and 17%. Judges also rated these children's pictures from the session lower.

What the study found

1. No difference

   Children promised a certificate later drew less in free time than children who got it by surprise.

   • Rule: Get a reward or payment for doing ittested

   Small randomised trial of 51 preschool children who liked drawing · vs children who got it unexpectedly · behaviour was recorded

2. No difference

   Children promised a certificate drew pictures that judges rated lower than others did.

   • Rule: Get a reward or payment for doing ittested

   Small randomised trial of 51 preschool children who liked drawing · vs children who got it unexpectedly · behaviour was recorded

Source