Which is better for motivating people, carrot or stick? Research shows that.

【［The Ultimate Choice］Which is More Effective in Motivating People? U.S. Research Reveals the Mechanism of Motivation】
https://diamond.jp/articles/-/349021

・In an intensive care unit (ICU) in the northeastern United States, signs were posted everywhere reminding medical staff to wash their hands. Even so, the compliance rate was surprisingly low.

・The company purchased 21 surveillance cameras and installed them at locations in the ICU where hand sanitizers and sinks could be seen. Shockingly, however, only one out of ten staff members washed their hands according to the rules, even though they knew they were being watched. They realized that surveillance alone was not enough.

・To enable staff to immediately provide feedback on their actions, an electronic bulletin board was installed in each room. Every time a doctor, nurse, or other staff member washed their hands properly, the number shown on the bulletin board went up. The compliance rate rose to nearly 90%!

・There are two kinds of motivators: carrot and stick.

・In this study, the “carrot ” of positive feedback was effective.

・According to the results of the study, it is not necessary to keep giving positive feedback forever in order to keep the desired behavior. Even when it is gone, people often continue the same behavior for an extended period of time.

・Insignificant feedback is much more effective in motivating people to action than warnings or threats.

・When it comes to guiding behavior, immediate rewards are often more effective than future punishment.

The above is a quote from the article

carrot or stick to motivate people. Which is better?

When trying to motivate people, carrot and stick are often used.

A carrot can be described as pleasure or reward, while stick can be described as pain, punishment, warning, or threat.

Think about it,

Since humans move to seek pleasure in the form of candy and avoid pain and anxiety in the form of whips, there is no doubt that they are major factors that cause human behavior.

Which is more effective, carrot or stick?

According to the study above, the carrot of positive feedback was much more effective than the stick.

When it comes to guiding behavior, immediate rewards are often more effective than future punishment.

My take on this information is,

When someone does something for you “right then and there,” smiling and saying thank you to the other person is also positive feedback and an immediate reward.

I believe that those who are able to do this at home and at work are naturally able to create good relationships. (They are able to work with people in a positive way)

I was reminded of this after reading the above research.

See you then

Maybe it is different in ultimate situations, but at least in everyday situations, the amenity of positive feedback seems to be very effective in guiding people’s behavior.