Article 5.3. Do financial incentives help or harm performance in interesting tasks? (Kim, Gerhart, & Fang, 2022)

Question 1

Moderators of the incentive-performance relationship, tested by Kim et al. (2022)

Answer 1

• Task interest
• Autonomy
• Incentives intensity
• How motivation-driven performance is

Question 2

Findings Kim et al. (2022)

Answer 2

• There was always a positive incentives-performance relationship.
• The moderators did not have effect on the relationship.
• The effect was larger for performance quantity than for quality.

Question 3

Theories for positive incentives-performance relationship in interesting tasks

Answer 3

Traditional theories, such as:

1. Reinforcement theory (behaviors are shaped by consequences).
2. Expectancy theory (effort > performance > outcomes > motivation).
3. Equity theory (incentives need to match higher performance for satisfaction).

Question 4

Theories for negative incentives-performance relationship in interesting tasks

Answer 4

1. CET: Cognitive evaluation theory.

2. SDT: Self determination theory.

Question 5

All theories agree on what relationship?

Answer 5

The positive incentives-performance relationship in non-interesting tasks.

Question 6

Self-determination theory

Answer 6

• Extrinsic motivation can be internalized.
• Intrinsic motivation leads to better performance than extrinsic motivation.
• You are either extrinsically or intrinsically motivated.

Extrinsic motivation:
- external; introjected; identified; integrated.
Intrinsic motivation.

Question 7

Amabile (1996): components of creativity.

Answer 7

Knowledge, skills, and motivation.