Charlotte smiled. Some incentives, she realized, were worth keeping. Would you like a different version — darker, more humorous, or set in a specific genre (sci-fi, thriller, etc.)? Just let me know.
For Assignment 04, she and Mateo argued that while rewards could boost short-term effort, they eroded intrinsic motivation. They cited studies, added graphs, even interviewed her father (who grudgingly admitted, “Well, when you put it that way…”).
It started simply: for every A on a test or major project, Charlotte would receive fifty dollars. B’s brought twenty. Anything below a C? A deduction from her monthly allowance. Charlotte Rayn - Incentivizing Good Grades -04....
Her father kept the chart on the fridge, but after that semester, he added a new line at the bottom: Bonus for teaching Dad something new — $100.
In biology, she realized she could memorize diagrams for the test without understanding photosynthesis. In math, she found patterns in old exams and crammed formulas instead of learning proofs. She wasn’t learning — she was optimizing . And the A’s kept coming. Charlotte smiled
But by week six, the cracks showed.
The trouble started with — a collaborative ethics paper in her philosophy class. The prompt asked: Is it ethical to reward students for grades? Just let me know
They got an A+.
“It’s just economics, Lottie,” her father said, tapping the laminated chart he’d pinned to the fridge. “Incentives modify behavior. You’ll see.”
The Price of an A