Scientific Definition
Doing something for an external reward.
Plain-English Definition
Doing something for an external reward.
Feynman Explanation
Carrots and sticks both work — until they don't.
Core Principle
Doing something for an external reward.
Mechanisms
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Doing something for an external reward.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Inputs (Triggers)
Pending editorial review.
Outputs (Behaviors)
Pending editorial review.
Behavioral Signature
Carrots and sticks both work — until they don't.
Examples
- Bonus-driven sales behavior.
- Powerful in the short term; corrosive when overused.
Pending editorial review.
Famous Experiments
Pending editorial review.
Design Principles
- Use as the floor, not the ceiling. Pair with intrinsic levers.
Measurement Approaches
Pending editorial review.
Evidence
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
The Perverse Incentive Lens™
How this behavior is exploited — and how to redesign around it.
- Use as the floor, not the ceiling. Pair with intrinsic levers.
Pending editorial review.
Pending editorial review.
Interactive Mini Network
Click any neighbor to re-center the graph and follow the threads of connection.
Knowledge Graph Neighbors
Auto-linked to the rest of the Human Behavior Taxonomy by family, domain, dimension, and shared keywords.
Self-direction is one of the deepest motivational levers.
Doing something because the doing is the reward.
The drive to get better at things that matter.
Adding external rewards reduces intrinsic motivation.
Meaning beyond the task multiplies motivation.
Humans need autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Belief in one's ability to execute.
Naming an emotion reduces its intensity.
Cumulative physiological wear from chronic stress.
Emotional override of rational processing.
Brain region tracking conflict, error, and effort.
We treat AI as more humanlike than it is.