Abstract
The effects of contractual (contingent on task completion), endogenous (related to the activity), unexpected, or no rewards on interest and quality of performance were studied in 94 preschool children identified as initially high or low interest in connect-the-dot puzzles. The data were analyzed in terms of immediate and subsequent effects of rewards on the number of minutes spent on the task (interest), and quality of coloring. During the experiment, less time was spent on the task when rewards were offered in advance, particularly in the endogenous reward group, which also produced poorest quality colorings. For the posttest, both initially uninterested groups receiving unexpected rewards spent more time on the puzzles, but contractual rewards interacted with initial interest. High interest children decreased and low interest children increased time doing puzzles. Endogenous reward groups did not differ from controls. Subsequent quality of coloring was lower only in the initially low interest, endogenous reward group.
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Eisenstein, N. Effects of Contractual, Endogenous, or Unexpected Rewards on High and Low Interest Preschoolers. Psychol Rec 35, 29–39 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394906
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394906