Myth #1: Rewards Promote Responsibility
Really?
Rewards Motivate Young People To Be Responsible
They don’t. The bribe becomes the focus, not responsibility. In addition, we are not honest with young people when we give them rewards for expected behavior. Society does not give such rewards. When was the last time you were rewarded for stopping at a red light?
Young people do not need bribes to be good
Some Points To Consider About Using Rewards
Rewards can be wonderful ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Rewards can be great INCENTIVES—if the person wants the reward.
However, rewards for EXPECTED BEHAVIORS are COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
(a) When we give students rewards for expected behavior, we send a false message. Society does not give rewards for appropriate behavior.
(b) What comes of rewarding expected student behavior can be understood in remarks like, “What’s in it for me?” and “If I’m good, what will I get?” This approach undermines the social fabric of our civil democracy.
(c) The message that a behavior is good because it is rewarded appeals to the lowest level of ethical values, viz., “What I am doing must be good because I am being rewarded.”
(d) Giving such rewards does not foster moral development. Good or bad, right or wrong, just or unjust, moral or immoral are not considered. Instead the determining factor becomes getting the “prize.”Rewards for expected behavior imply that good behavior is not inherently worthwhile.
Be cautious about confusing rewards to manipulate young people with rewards as compensation. Employment is a social contract. You perform a service for compensation. Have you ever thanked your employer for the reward of compensation?
This Is Important
The Final Take Away About Myth #1
Giving REWARDS for EXPECTED BEHAVIOR is COUNTERPRODUCTIVE for promoting responsibility.