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The impact of rewards and punishments in a social context: A laboratory and field experiment
Author(s) -
O'Reillys Charles A.,
Puffer Sheila M.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of occupational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.257
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 2044-8325
pISSN - 0305-8107
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8325.1989.tb00476.x
Subject(s) - sanctions , psychology , social psychology , feeling , equity (law) , perspective (graphical) , context (archaeology) , field (mathematics) , political science , law , paleontology , mathematics , artificial intelligence , computer science , pure mathematics , biology
Most research on the use of sanctions has proceeded from an operant conditioning perspective. The general hypothesis explored here draws on social learning theory and examines the impact of positive and negative sanctions on group members other than the member actually sanctioned. Results of a laboratory experiment using 48 subjects in a repeated measures design and a field study with 106 respondents suggest that both rewards and punishments can have positive effects on observers' motivation, satisfaction and feelings of equity. Failure to use an appropriate sanction is associated with significantly lower levels of motivation, satisfaction and equity among task group members.