33 replies to this topic

[highdesert50]

Not surprising ... often the intrinsic reward of praise or recognition of well done goes a long way in affecting an individual's beliefs on how to face situations and challenges competently and ultimately complete a task. Years of research support this concept of how self efficacy plays a major role in the way individuals perceive and behave in response to different situations. We all need feedback to function effectively.

[Merc14]

One thing that ticks me off about these studies is the absolute legitimacy assigned to the results because a guy with some letters behind his name from a supposedly substantive institute declares something as fdact becaause he or she did a study.  The reality is this was a very small sample size of 48 and we don't know if those 48 were a cross-section of the population or from a group of highly motivated kids.  And how old were these kids?  Also, the National Institute for Physiological Sciences is far from a major university or state run institute.  It appears to be a small school outreach group.

None of the above means the results aren't legitimate but they are from conclusive.  The problem is The Telegraph is presenting them as such and the media does this all the time on a variety fo things.

Edited by Merc14, 14 November 2012 - 06:22 PM.

[zenfahr]

Bling, on 13 November 2012 - 11:51 PM, said:

I like praise, it makes me feel better about myself and helps my performance. Who doesn't like to hear...Yes Yes Yes!

lol I get your joke.  Those words encourage my performance too!!

[glorybebe]

zenfahr, on 14 November 2012 - 07:00 PM, said:

lol I get your joke.  Those words encourage my performance too!!

...what was I going to comment?  You kind of threw my train of thought off kilter.....

[DieChecker]

I think there is probably truth behind the idea that praise makes a person work harder and more efficiently. The problem in the US being that we are taught early to be sparing with praise, and so management reserves it for the very highest achievement, rather then everyday "at-a-boys".

Intel has a system where anyone can Recognize a co-worker, and give them $10 for it. And every department has thousands and thousands of dollars budgeted for this system, yet it is hardly ever used... Personnally I think it is managements fail to support workers recognizing the help from each other. Edit: This varies from dept to dept, I've heard. Some are very good at giving out recognitions.

Edited by DieChecker, 14 November 2012 - 08:19 PM.

[Harlequin Dreamer]

I always get warm fuzzys inside when i've been praised and they are way better then cold pricklys.

[calaf]

Praise and criticism are both vital. Even more important is how each is delivered.

[CuriousGreek]

Every person needs encouragement, even if it is given with the form of critising. Everything begins with the way you treat someone especially when in they're in a young age.

[Beany]

I suspect that few of us suffer from too much praise or recognition of a task well done. I used to do supervisor training for Hilton international, and part of that training was a study that indicated what employees wanted to hear, what motivated them even more than a raise, was feeling appreciated. No, meaningless praise isn't helpful, but we can almost always find something positive to say that is honest, but not a lot of people expend the effort to do it.

[Merc14]

Beany, on 15 November 2012 - 03:42 AM, said:

I suspect that few of us suffer from too much praise or recognition of a task well done. I used to do supervisor training for Hilton international, and part of that training was a study that indicated what employees wanted to hear, what motivated them even more than a raise, was feeling appreciated. No, meaningless praise isn't helpful, but we can almost always find something positive to say that is honest, but not a lot of people expend the effort to do it.

Well said and I completely agree!  You've pointed out another thing we have no idea about from the story on this study which is just what do they consider a compliment?  Is it positive feedback, as you mentioned or outright praise?

[AlienDan]

I can understand it, kind of relates to this:

[Babe Ruth]

Positive reinforcement is very helpful, but I suppose it can be overdone.  I think some youth today are made to think each and every one is special.

If everybody is special, then what happens to "common" or "normal"?

[Ryu]

The term "special" is rather arbitrary and subjective considering that it only applies when someone else makes that determination to an otherwise ordinary person, which is what we all are, really.

Sometimes I think that the only time some kids get any sort of "positive" reinforcement is when they're in school or perhaps at work and the rest of the time they are just..well, doing what they're supposed to do. Is it good or bad? I don't know. What I do observe is an increasing amount and frequency of meaningless phrases being tossed out by those in "authority" then expecting everyone to immediately feel good about the useless verbal scraps they are being given.

So it seems that praise is also subjective since it depends on what the other person deems worthy of any praise...we can't escape being judged, can we?

[aryannatimothy]

Praises can boost up attitude and confidence but too much praise all the time can also make a man blind from seeing his flaws and improving them. Anyway, too much of anything is not really good. The same concept applies here.

[AwakenAscension]

I believe it is how the praise (or lack of which) is TAKEN by the reciever of it.

There is one school of thought-  Hardly ever praise them and they will work much harder for it and become accustomed to that, then they will not pout and give up, for being spoiled with too many rewards would lead one to expect too much for too little. It be better to teach them the opposite so that they GREATLY APPRECIATE the rewards they ARE given, no matter how small, and be the most efficient.

Then the OTHER school of thought- We (people) are only taught by two true teachers at the neural level. PLEASURE and PAIN. And as we are made to feel a reward mechanism when we do something, those networks become reinforced and make us better at it. And as far as the spiritual level goes, I think we all know how to put ourselves in a state of enjoyment when we are doing something that gives us a rhythm.. Feels like when you hear the best music and you just HAVE to move to it. And whatever we are doing, we are masters at it, as long as we stay in that state.

Both sides have shown tremendous results, and having trained many people at different jobs, I've learned from experience that women USUALLY advance faster when being complimented for what they did right and men USUALLY advance faster when being pointed out what they did wrong. Not always, just USUALLY, and though I believe in not discriminating in ANY way based on gender, we have to face it, we arent exactly the same, ladies and gentlemen. LOL

I think the key to which direction is efficient or works best lies somewhere in the RECIEVER (worker) not the method itself.