"I’ll Have One of Each": How Separating Rewards into (Meaningless) Categories Increases Motivation

"I’ll Have One of Each": How Separating Rewards into (Meaningless) Categories Increases Motivation

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"I’ll Have One of Each": How Separating Rewards into (Meaningless) Categories Increases Motivation

dc.contributor.author	Wiltermuth, Scott S.
dc.contributor.author	Gino, Francesca
dc.date.accessioned	2012-12-07T18:40:56Z
dc.date.issued	2012-12-07
dc.identifier.citation	Wiltermuth, S., and F. Gino. "'I'll Have One of Each': How Separating Rewards into (Meaningless) Categories Increases Motivation." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (forthcoming).	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0022-3514	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:10018933
dc.description.abstract	We propose that separating rewards into categories can increase motivation, even when those categories are meaningless. Across six experiments, people were more motivated to obtain one reward from one category and another reward from another category than they were to obtain two rewards from a pool that included all items from either reward category. As a result, they worked longer when potential rewards for their work were separated into meaningless categories. This categorization effect persisted regardless of whether the rewards were presented using a gain or loss frame. Using both moderation and mediation analyses, we found that categorizing rewards had these positive effects on motivation by increasing the degree to which people felt they would "miss out" if they did not obtain the second reward. We discuss implications for research on motivation and incentives.	en_US
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.publisher	American Psychological Association	en_US
dc.relation.hasversion	http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/psp/index.aspx	en_US
dash.license	OAP
dc.subject	categories	en_US
dc.subject	incentives	en_US
dc.subject	motivation	en_US
dc.subject	regret	en_US
dc.subject	decision making	en_US
dc.title	"I’ll Have One of Each": How Separating Rewards into (Meaningless) Categories Increases Motivation	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article	en_US
dc.description.version	Author's Original	en_US
dc.relation.journal	Journal of Personality and Social Psychology	en_US
dash.depositing.author	Gino, Francesca
dc.date.available	2012-12-07T18:40:56Z