Coming soon · Book Profile
Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes
A sweeping indictment of the carrot-and-stick approach to motivation, arguing that rewards—like punishments—fail to produce lasting change and actively undermine intrinsic motivation, quality, relationships, and the development of good values.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
Drawing on hundreds of psychological studies, Alfie Kohn dismantles the deeply held belief that the best way to get people to do something is to reward them when they comply. From gold stars and grades in classrooms, to incentive plans and merit pay in workplaces, to praise and bribes in the home, Kohn shows that 'Do this and you'll get that' rests on the shaky foundations of pop behaviorism and reliably backfires. Rewards, he argues, are not the opposite of punishments but two sides of the same controlling coin: both secure temporary compliance while corroding the conditions—collaboration, meaningful content, and genuine choice—under which excellence, learning, and ethical behavior actually flourish. Provocative yet rigorously documented, the book challenges readers to abandon the seductive simplicity of behavioral manipulation and rethink how we manage employees, teach students, and raise children, replacing control with respect, problem-solving, and support for intrinsic motivation.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A parent, teacher, or manager who wants the people they care for or lead to do good work, learn deeply, and become responsible, caring, and motivated.
- The problem
- The rewards, grades, incentive plans, and praise they rely on aren't producing lasting motivation, quality, or good behavior. They feel frustrated, even guilty, suspecting that the strategy they default to may be backfiring but not knowing what else to do.
- The plan
- Recognize that rewards and punishments are two sides of the same controlling coin.
- Abolish or minimize incentives, grades, and manipulative praise.
- Shift focus from controlling behavior to addressing reasons and building relationships.
- Create the conditions for intrinsic motivation through collaboration, meaningful content, and genuine choice.
- Support autonomy and use problem-solving instead of bribes and threats.
- The payoff
- Employees, students, and children become intrinsically motivated, doing better, more creative work. · Relationships are characterized by trust, openness, and support rather than judgment and flattery. · Children grow into responsible, caring, self-directed people who make their own ethical decisions.
See our guide
Related profiles we’ve built
- A Theory of Human Motivation →
- Anxiety at Work_ 8 Strategies to Help Teams Build Resilience, Handle Uncertainty, and Get Stuff Done →
- Applied Multivariate Stats Social Sciences Stevens →
- Assessing Change in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy of Children and Adolescents (Psychology, Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy) →
- Basics Qualitative Research Grounded Theory Corbin Strauss →
- Bayesian Multilevel Models for Repeated Measures dаta A Conceptual and Practical Introduction in R →
- Beyond Hr Boudreau Ramstad →
- Compensating Your Employees Fairly →
Additional reading
- The Organism · Kurt Goldstein
Maslow sources the term 'self-actualization' from Goldstein and builds upon his holistic view of the organism.
- Explorations in Personality · H. A. Murray, et al.
Cited as providing an 'excellent discussion' on the basic principle of centering motivation theory on goals rather than instigation or behavior.
- Social Interest · Alfred Adler
Maslow credits Adler and his followers for stressing the importance of the 'esteem needs,' which he felt were neglected by Freudian psychoanalysts.
- Wisdom of the Body · W. B. Cannon
Provides the foundational concept of 'homeostasis,' which Maslow uses as the starting point for his discussion of physiological needs.
- Multipliers · Liz Wiseman
Explores how leaders can either amplify ('multiply') or diminish ('diminish') the intelligence and capabilities of their teams, a key concept for creating a positive, low-anxiety environment.
- The Fearless Organization · Amy Edmondson
Provides the foundational research and practical steps for creating psychological safety, which the book identifies as crucial for reducing interpersonal anxiety and encouraging people to speak up.
- Mindset · Carol Dweck
Explains the difference between a 'growth mindset' and a 'fixed mindset,' which is presented as a key tool for helping employees manage perfectionism and see failures as learning opportunities.
- Crucial Conversations · Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.
Recommended as a resource for employees to learn how to navigate difficult, high-stakes conversations, directly addressing the book's theme of moving from conflict avoidance to healthy debate.
- Better Allies · Karen Catlin
The author is quoted on specific, actionable steps for allyship, making her book a practical guide for implementing the principles in Chapter 7.
- Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People · Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald
Explains the science of implicit bias, which is central to the book's argument that leaders need to be proactive allies because 'not being racist/sexist' isn't enough.