Abstract
The purpose of the present investigation was to extend the research related to the possible negative side effects of extrinsic reinforcement on children's compliant behavior, particularly the overjustification effect. Specifically, this study examined the effects of a token reinforcement procedure in a naturalistic environment (third grade classroom) on children's compliance with classroom rules. Three students exhibiting high compliance with classroom rules were selected. Results indicated that the introduction of a token reinforcement program contingent on the occurrence of rule compliance had no detrimental effect on their rule compliant behavior following the withdrawal of the token procedure (i.e., comparison of Baseline I and Baseline II). Thus, the overjustification effect was not supported.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Akin, K. A. (1997). An evaluation of the effects of extrinsic reinforcement on children's intrinsic motivation for compliance with classroom rules. Unpublished master's thesis, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS.
Barlow, D. H., Hayes, S. C., & Nelson, R. O. (1984). The Scientist practitioner: Research and accountability in clinical and educational settings. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Brondolo, E., Baruch, C., Conway, E., & Marsh, L. (1994). Aggression among inner-city and minority youth: A biopsychosocial model for school-based evaluation and treatment. Special Issue: Multicultural views on domestic violence. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 3 ,53–80.
Buisson, G. J., Murdock, J. Y., Reynolds, K. E., & Cronin, M. E. (1995). Effect of tokens on response latency of students with hearing impairments in a resource room. Education and Treatment of Children, 18 ,408–421.
Cameron, J., Banko, K. M., & Pierce, W. D. (2001). Pervasive negative effects of rewards on intrinsic motivation: The myth continues. The Behavior Analyst, 24 ,1–44.
Cameron, J., & Pierce, W. D. (1994). Reinforcement, reward, and intrinsic motivation:Ameta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 64 ,363–423.
Cameron, J., & Pierce, W. D. (1996). The debate about rewards and intrinsic motivation: Protests and accusations do not alter the results. Review of Educational Research, 66 ,39–51.
Cavalier, A. R., Ferretti, R. P., & Hodges, A. E. (1997). Self-management within a classroom token economy for students with learning disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 18 ,167–178.
Davidson, P., & Bucher, B. (1978). Intrinsic interest and extrinsic reward: The effects of a continuing token program on continuing nonconstrained preference. Behavior Therapy, 9 ,222–234.
Deci, E. L. (1971). Effects of externally mediated rewards on intrinsic motivation. Journal ofPersonality and Social Psychology, 18 ,105–115.
Deci, E. L. (1975). Intrinsic motivation.New York: Plenum Press.
Deci, E. L., Koestner, R., & Ryan, R. M. (1999). A meta-analytic review of experiments examining the effects of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 125 ,627–668.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior.New York: Plenum.
Edwards, C. H. (1994). Learning and control in the classroom. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 21 ,340–346.
Feingold, B. D., & Mahoney, M. J. (1975). Reinforcement effects on intrinsic interest: Undermining the overjustification hypothesis. Behavior Therapy, 6 ,367–377.
Greene, D., & Lepper, M. R. (1974). Effects of extrinsic rewards on children's subsequent intrinsic interest. Child Development, 45 ,1141–1145.
Kohn, A. (1993). Punished by rewards: The trouble with gold stars, incentive plans, A's, praise, and other bribes.Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Kohn, A. (1996). By all available means: Cameron and Pierce's defense of extrinsic motivators. Review of Educational Research, 66 ,1–3.
Lepper, M. R. (1983). Extrinsic reward and intrinsic motivation: Implications for the classroom. In J. M. Levine and M. C. Wang (Eds.), Teacher and student perceptions: Implications for learning (pp. 281–317). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Lepper, M.R. (1998). A whole much less than the sum of its parts. American Psychologist, 53 ,675–676.
Lepper, M. R., & Greene, D. (1975). Turning play into work: Effects of adult surveillance and extrinsic rewards on children's intrinsic motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31 ,479–486.
Lepper, M. R., Greene D., & Nisbett, R. E. (1973). Undermining children's intrinsic interest with extrinsic reward: A test of the "overjustification" hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 28 ,129–137.
Lepper, M. R., Keavney, M., & Drake, M. (1996). Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic rewards: A commentary on Cameron and Pierce's meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 66 ,5–32.
Levine, F. M., & Fasnacht, G. (1974). Token rewards may lead to token learning. American Psychologist, 29 ,816–820.
Mann-Feder, V., & Varda, R. (1996). Adolescents in therapeutic committees. Adolescence, 31 ,17–28.
Mawhinney, T. C., Dickinson, A. M., & Taylor, L. A., III (1989). The use of concurrent schedules to evaluate the effects of extrinsic rewards on "intrinsic motivation." Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 10 ,109–129.
McGinnis, J. C. (1996). On intrinsic motivation: A proposal for and validation of a unique dependent measure.Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg.
Morgan, M. (1984). Reward-induced decrements and increments in intrinsic motivation. Review of Educational Research, 54 ,5–30.
O'Leary, K. D., & Drabman, R. (1971). Token reinforcement programs in the classroom: A review. Psychological Bulletin, 75 ,379–398.
Pittman, T. S., Boggiano, A. K., & Ruble, D. N. (1983). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivational orientations: Limiting conditions on the undermining and enhancing effects of reward on intrinsic motivation. In J. M. Levine and M. C. Wang (Eds.), Teacher and student perceptions: Implications for learning (pp. 319–340). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (1996). When paradigms clash: Comments on Cameron and Pierce's claim that rewards do not undermine intrinsic motivation. Review of Educational Research, 66 ,33–38.
Swiezy, N. B., Matson, J. L., & Box, P. (1992). The good behavior game: A token reinforcement system for preschoolers. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 14 ,21–32.
Tegano, D. W., Moran, D. J., III, & Sawyers, J. K. (1991). Creativity in early childhood classrooms.Washington, DC: National Education Association.
Vasta, R., Andrews, D. E., McLaughlin, A. M., Stirpe, L. A., & Comfort, C. (1978). Reinforcement effects on intrinsic interest: A classroom analog. Journal of School Psychology, 16 ,161–166.
Vasta, R., & Stirpe, L. A. (1979). Reinforcement effects on three measures of children's interest in math. Behavior Modification, 3 ,223–244.
Williams, B.W. (1980). Reinforcement, behavior constraint and the overjustification effect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39 ,599–614.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Akin-Little, K.A., Little, S.G. Re-Examining the Overjustification Effect. Journal of Behavioral Education 13, 179–192 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOBE.0000037628.81867.69
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOBE.0000037628.81867.69