Punishments and rewards hinder intrinsic motivation in students from "summary" of The Schools Our Children Deserve by Alfie Kohn
When students are offered rewards for engaging in certain behaviors or threatened with punishments for failing to do so, they may comply with the expectations in order to receive the reward or avoid the punishment. However, this compliance often comes at a cost. It can undermine students' intrinsic motivation, their desire to engage in an activity for its own sake. Intrinsic motivation is characterized by a genuine interest and enjoyment in an activity, a desire to learn and explore simply because it is inherently satisfying. When students are focused on obtaining a reward or avoiding a punishment, their attention shifts away from the task itself and towards the external incentive. As a result, they are less likely to fully engage with the material or to develop a deep understanding of the subject matter. Furthermore, rewards and punishments can create a conditional environment in which students are taught to base their behavior on external factors rather than internal values. This can lead to a reliance on...
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