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Punished by Rewards

Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Edition: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes

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Punished by Rewards

By: Alfie Kohn
Narrated by: Alfie Kohn
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About this listen

Our basic strategy for raising children, teaching students, and managing workers can be summed up in six words: Do this and you'll get that. We dangle goodies (from candy bars to sales commissions) in front of people in the same way that we train the family pet.

Since its publication in 1993, this groundbreaking book has persuaded countless parents, teachers, and managers that attempts to manipulate people with incentives may seem to work in the short run, but they ultimately fail and even do lasting harm. Drawing from hundreds of studies, Kohn demonstrates that we actually do inferior work when we are enticed with money, grades, or other incentives—and are apt to lose interest in whatever we were bribed to do.

Rewards and punishments are two sides of the same coin—and the coin doesn't buy much. What is needed, Kohn explains, is an alternative to both ways of controlling people. Hence, he offers practical strategies for parents, teachers, and managers to replace carrots and sticks.

Seasoned with humor and familiar examples, Punished by Rewards presents an argument that is unsettling to hear but impossible to dismiss.

©1993 Alfie Kohn; Afterword copyright 1999 by Alfie Kohn (P)2022 Tantor
Child Psychology Developmental Psychology Infants & Toddlers Parenting & Families Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships Witty

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