Reward, Intrinsic Motivation, and Creativity

B. A. Hennessey; T. M. Amabile

Article | American Psychologist | June 1998

Reward, Intrinsic Motivation, and Creativity

by B. A. Hennessey and T. M. Amabile

Abstract

Comments on R. Eisenberger and J. Cameron's (see record 1996-06440-007) discussion on the impact of reward on creativity. The authors argue that Eisenberger and Cameron overlooked or failed to adequately explain several demonstrations of lower creativity on rewarded activities as compared with nonrewarded activities. Moreover, the evidence they provided of increased creativity under reward is more informative about relatively simple human behaviors than about actual creative performance. The authors believe that it is erroneous and misleading to conclude, as do Eisenberger and Cameron, that the detrimental effects of reward occur under limited conditions that are easily avoided.

Keywords: Creativity; Motivation and Incentives; Performance Evaluation;

Format: Print

2 pages

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Hennessey, B. A., and T. M. Amabile. "Reward, Intrinsic Motivation, and Creativity." American Psychologist 53, no. 6 (June 1998): 674–675.

There have been dozens of high-profile mass shootings in recent decades. This paper presents three main findings about the impact of mass shootings on gun policy. First, mass shootings evoke large policy responses. A single mass shooting leads to a 15% increase in the number of firearm bills introduced within a state in the year after a mass shooting. This effect increases with the extent of media coverage. Second, mass shootings account for a small portion of all gun deaths but have an outsized influence relative to other homicides. Third, when looking at bills that were actually enacted into law, the impact of mass shootings depends on the party in power. The annual number of laws that loosen gun restrictions doubles in the year following a mass shooting in states with Republican-controlled legislatures. We find no significant effect of mass shootings on laws enacted when there is a Democrat-controlled legislature, nor do we find a significant effect of mass shootings on the enactment of laws that tighten gun restrictions.

Legal Time is a two-party dynamic negotiation simulation. Students take the role of either the prosecution or the defense in a case that centers on a client who has been accused of spear-heading a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. This conflict-resolution scenario gives students the opportunity to see how their negotiations are influenced by important situational and behavioral factors – specifically, (i) fairness considerations and self-serving motives, (ii) time pressure, and (iii) learning from one’s own experience and the experiences of others.

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Reward, Intrinsic Motivation, and Creativity

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