Nanne Kukkonen
Reward prospect increases effort, sometimes only when people have multiple attempts at a task
When an incentive prospect fails to boost engagement, it is often suspected that the test was poorly designed. We challenged this idea and demonstrated how incentive prediction horizon influences effort decision making.
Role: Lead Researcher
Methods: Computerized online experiment, online questionnaire administration, A/B Testing
Tools: JsPsych (JavaScript), Prolific, R
Background
The principle of least effort and a neuroeconomic framework guided the experimental design.
Data Collection
Coded computerized online experiments in jsPsych. Piloted and ran 4 experiments on Prolific.com (N = 45, 49, 48, 50).
Data Analysis & Synthesis
Cleaned up behavioral and questionnaire data and ran logistic and linear mixed-effects regression models in R.
Insights & Recommendations
-
One-off reward prospect might not lead to a boost in engagement
- Longer reward prediction horizon amortizes the behavioral cost of effort
- Emphasizing long-term incentives over one-off rewards is likely to improve habit formation and work performance
Click here to access the full research report