R for Rewards
A few years back I was working for an ad agency, and as all agencies do, we partied a lot. A young colleague, in her first party out-chugged everyone and she was applauded for her drinking capacity by the big guns. So, at every party she assumed her “Biggest Boozer” role and outdrank every other person. I doubt if she enjoyed the after-effects of excess alcohol, but the tag she got kept her going.
This extreme behaviour puzzled me.
What are these forces behind our actions? Do I get up and go for a run every day because I know it’s good for me, or is it because my friends cheer for me? Do people cook because they enjoy cooking, or do they like the validation that comes after it?
There are different reasons why people do things. Very rarely people are motivated to act because of strong internal desires and wishes. Most behaviours are driven by a desire for external rewards.
BF Skinner, the father of Operant Conditioning, theorised this — behavior that is followed by pleasant consequences is likely to be repeated, and behavior followed by unpleasant consequences is less likely to be repeated.
Whatever is rewarded, exists; whatever isn’t, dies.
If a society doesn’t reward kindness, it dies. If a person isn’t praised for their hard work in office (even if the output isn’t extraordinary), they stop working so hard. If an intern is asked to leave because of a silly mistake, they avoid taking risks. If a dress doesn’t bring in the compliments, you might stop wearing it too often. If a content bucket isn’t bringing in high engagement, you move on to other ideas. And if a person is cautioned, rather than applauded for their excessive drinking, they might not do it that often.
