TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of Rewards on Children's Prosocial Motivation
T2 - A Socialization Study
AU - Fabes, Richard
AU - Fultz, Jim
AU - Eisenberg, Nancy
AU - May-Plumlee, Traci
AU - Christopher, F. Scott
PY - 1989/7
Y1 - 1989/7
N2 - This study examined the relation between mothers' attitudes/practices regarding the use of rewards and children's susceptibility to the undermining effects of rewards. We assessed the attitudes/practices regarding rewards for 72 mothers and assigned their children to a control condition or to one of four experimental conditions that differed in whether children received rewards for helping and whether children engaged in the helping task or watched other children help. Children were then given an opportunity to help in a nonreward free-choice period. Rewards enhanced helping in the immediate situation. However, rewards undermined children's helping in the free-choice period, but only for children whose mothers felt positive about using rewards. Moreover, mothers who felt more positive about using rewards reported their children to be less prosocial than children of mothers who had less positive attitudes. It was suggested that children's responses to rewards depend in part on their experiences with rewards.
AB - This study examined the relation between mothers' attitudes/practices regarding the use of rewards and children's susceptibility to the undermining effects of rewards. We assessed the attitudes/practices regarding rewards for 72 mothers and assigned their children to a control condition or to one of four experimental conditions that differed in whether children received rewards for helping and whether children engaged in the helping task or watched other children help. Children were then given an opportunity to help in a nonreward free-choice period. Rewards enhanced helping in the immediate situation. However, rewards undermined children's helping in the free-choice period, but only for children whose mothers felt positive about using rewards. Moreover, mothers who felt more positive about using rewards reported their children to be less prosocial than children of mothers who had less positive attitudes. It was suggested that children's responses to rewards depend in part on their experiences with rewards.
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U2 - 10.1037/0012-1649.25.4.509
DO - 10.1037/0012-1649.25.4.509
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0009136275
SN - 0012-1649
VL - 25
SP - 509
EP - 515
JO - Developmental psychology
JF - Developmental psychology
IS - 4
ER -