This article should scare the crap out of you: http://www.alternet.org/why-are-americans-so-easy-manipulate-and-control
Here are some quotes:
Kohn also reports that at least 10 studies show rewards work best on simplistic and predictable tasks. How about more demanding ones? In research on preschoolers (working for toys), older children (working for grades) and adults (working for money), all avoided challenging tasks. The bigger the reward, the easier the task that is chosen; while without rewards, human beings are more likely to accept a challenge.
What is also scary about behaviorists is that their external controls can destroy intrinsic forces of our humanity that are necessary for a democratic society. Researcher Mark Lepper was able to diminish young children’s intrinsic joy of drawing with Magic Markers by awarding them personalized certificates for coloring with a Magic Marker. Even a single, one-time reward for doing something enjoyable can kill interest in it for weeks.
Behavior modification can also destroy our intrinsic desire for compassion, which is necessary for a democratic society. Kohn offers several studies showing “children whose parents believe in using rewards to motivate them are less cooperative and generous [children] than their peers.” Children of mothers who relied on tangible rewards were less likely than other children to care and share at home.
In other words, when you try to control people with a reward system, they perform more poorly at just about everything.
For those of us who have seen more and more regimentation in the corporate reward structures, this is all too familiar. And since our entire society is on its way to total control by corporation, we should all be crapping our drawers for what comes next (hint: total collapse of our society at some point as no one gives a toss any more.)
Have a nice day
