Here you are as an Art Teacher and you want to have the class spend more time drawing. So you create a certificate for your students, Good Drawing certificate. But if your goal is to get them to draw more how would you give out the certificates? Every time they draw something or sometimes?
The Children were divided into 3 groups
Group 1 aka Expected group- was shown the certificates to see if they wanted to draw to receive them.
Group 2 aka Unexpected group- was asked if they wanted to draw, but never showed them the certificates. After they drew they received the Certificates.
Group 3 aka Control group- was asked if they wanted to draw, yet they were never shown or received the certificates.
Slide 3
2 weeks later after the fact, their were drawing materials placed out during playtime. Not once were they asked to draw.
Children in both Unexpected and Control groups where the ones who spent the most time drawing. The other group the Expected group; however, spent the least amount of time drawing.
The results of this experiment shows that if you mention the reward before hand they are least likely to seek out the reward.
Experts tested this out more on adults and more children which concluded to be the same results.