Effects of Praise
Besik Jikia
Professor Covell
PSY 3065
10/10/14
"Effects of Praise" "The Effects of Praise on Children’s Intrinsic Motivation: A Review and Synthesis" by
Jennifer Henderlong and Mark R. Lepper was very interesting and complex article to read.
Authors discussed different theories to understand effects of praise. Which can have both positive and negative impact on a child depending on many different factors. What I found very interesting was how much impact the age, gender and culture has on effectiveness of praise and how it can enhance or undermine Intrinsic motivation. Authors discuss two contradicting theories in the article. One theory suggests that praise enhances the Intrinsic motivation which refers to " engagement motivated by pleasure or enjoyment" (Henderlong, Lepper 775). Another theory suggest the contrary that praise can in fact undermine Intrinsic motivation. According to the research that supported the positive correlation between praise and motivation and regarded praise as a beneficial mechanism show that children and the adults who were given positive feedback for their performance have shown increased interest, and increased effort in their assigned tasks. Opposite to this belief Kohn (1993), who wrote that “the most notable aspect of a positive judgment is not that it is positive but that it is a judgment” Understood praise as a Detrimental mechanisms. Some psychologists believe that the evaluative manner which praise exercises can increase self-consciousness and alertness of a child so much that it can destruct him/her to accomplish the task. What I found interesting about these contradicting ideas is that they reflect the importance of proper and timely use of praise, and contradicts the general idea that praise is always good. According to the article there are few factors that distinguish positive praise from negative praise. One of the factors which I found most interesting was perceived sincerity in
Professor Covell
PSY 3065
10/10/14
"Effects of Praise" "The Effects of Praise on Children’s Intrinsic Motivation: A Review and Synthesis" by
Jennifer Henderlong and Mark R. Lepper was very interesting and complex article to read.
Authors discussed different theories to understand effects of praise. Which can have both positive and negative impact on a child depending on many different factors. What I found very interesting was how much impact the age, gender and culture has on effectiveness of praise and how it can enhance or undermine Intrinsic motivation. Authors discuss two contradicting theories in the article. One theory suggests that praise enhances the Intrinsic motivation which refers to " engagement motivated by pleasure or enjoyment" (Henderlong, Lepper 775). Another theory suggest the contrary that praise can in fact undermine Intrinsic motivation. According to the research that supported the positive correlation between praise and motivation and regarded praise as a beneficial mechanism show that children and the adults who were given positive feedback for their performance have shown increased interest, and increased effort in their assigned tasks. Opposite to this belief Kohn (1993), who wrote that “the most notable aspect of a positive judgment is not that it is positive but that it is a judgment” Understood praise as a Detrimental mechanisms. Some psychologists believe that the evaluative manner which praise exercises can increase self-consciousness and alertness of a child so much that it can destruct him/her to accomplish the task. What I found interesting about these contradicting ideas is that they reflect the importance of proper and timely use of praise, and contradicts the general idea that praise is always good. According to the article there are few factors that distinguish positive praise from negative praise. One of the factors which I found most interesting was perceived sincerity in