Money paid after puzzles cut free time on them; praise helped only men
MixedThe short version
Money paid after puzzles cut later free time on them, and money paid before raised it, compared with no money.
- 96
- university students in a puzzle study
- Randomised
- groups picked at random
- Recorded
- behaviour was recorded
- 2 tools
- tested
The study
Who took part
96 university students at the University of Rochester, New York. Half were men and half were women.
What they did
Some students were paid a dollar per puzzle solved, before or after the free time. Some got praise after each puzzle. Then they had eight minutes alone to do what they liked. The researchers watched through a one-way window and timed how long they kept working on the puzzles.
What happened
Compared with no money, money paid after the puzzles meant less free time on them, and money paid before meant more. Praise raised free time for men but not women. Praise and money together made no clear difference to free time.
What the study found
- Mixed
Money paid after puzzles cut later free time on them, and money paid before raised it, compared with no money.
Small randomised trial of 96 university students in a puzzle study · vs people who got no money · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show
- Mixed
Praise for each solved puzzle raised free time on puzzles for men but not for women.
Small randomised trial of 96 university students in a puzzle study · vs people who got no praise · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show
How solid is this?
- Groups picked at random
- Behaviour was recorded
- Small group
- Summary claims more than the results show
Source
Intrinsic motivation, extrinsic reinforcement, and inequity (1972)
