Try free for 30 days

  • Punished by Rewards

  • The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes
  • By: Alfie Kohn
  • Narrated by: Alfie Kohn
  • Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (50 ratings)

A 30-day trial plus your first audiobook free.
1 credit/month after trial—to buy any title you like, yours to keep.
Listen all you want to a selection of thousands of Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
Punished by Rewards cover art

Punished by Rewards

By: Alfie Kohn
Narrated by: Alfie Kohn
Free with 30-day trial

$16.45/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $34.99

Buy Now for $34.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

The basic strategy we use for raising children, teaching students, and managing workers can be summarized in six words: Do this and you'll get that. We dangle goodies (from candy bars to sales commissions) in front of people in much the same way we train the family pet.

Drawing on a wealth of psychological research, Alfie Kohn points the way to a more successful strategy based on working with people instead of doing things to them. "Do rewards motivate people?" asks Kohn. "Yes. They motivate people to get rewards." Seasoned with humor and familiar examples, Punished by Rewards presents an argument unsettling to hear but impossible to dismiss.

©1993 Alfie Kohn (P)2017 Tantor

Critic Reviews

"A clear, convincing demonstration of the shortcomings of pop-behaviorism, written with style, humor, and authority." ( Kirkus)

What listeners say about Punished by Rewards

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    48
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    40
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    40
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Insightful, intriguing and fresh.

This is an academic book, with lots of research. If that’s not your thing, you may not enjoy it. However, I believe every person could benefit by reading this book as it contains insightful looks at parenting, teaching and managing.

The fact that it has an epilogue with updates is a bonus as well. Thank you Mr Kohn for this wonderful book.

Now, implementation is the hurdle!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Worth the time to listen!

Very thought provoking and challenging. John makes a compelling and undeniable case against rewards (and punishment while he’s at it). Challenges so many things that I knew to be a fact of life growing up in a western (Australian) family and education system. Enjoyed every minute

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting, but repetitive at times

Liked the subject and still seems relevant (original book published in the late 90s). The odd interjected joke was welcome given some sections were repetitive (explaining the same concept just with different variables). I found the afterword the most enjoyable section as it gave a solid idea how the concept was received the real-world.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.