PODCAST

Rethinking Rewards: The Psychology of Incentives, Reinforcers, and Money

In Rethinking Rewards, psychologist and academic Erik Bijleveld (Radboud University) explores the complex and often controversial role of rewards in shaping human behavior. Drawing on insights from psychology, management science, economics, and anthropology, this four-part podcast examines how incentives influence our behavior—and why experts and lay people often disagree whether rewards do harm or good. Designed for students, alumni, and curious minds alike, Rethinking Reward invites you to learn

science social sciences

All Episodes

00:09:46

E04 - Epilogue: The Social Science of Money

Rethinking Rewards: The Psychology of Incentives,... ·

2025/09/22

In many situations, money can easily function as a reward; after all, it can help to satisfy many different needs. But is there something special about money? In this episode, Erik covers some basic ideas from economics and anthropology. (00:00) Introduction(00:45) Economic definition of money(02:18) Anthropological perspectives on money(04:01) The symbolic meaning of money(07:25) Social rules around the use of money(08:42) ConclusionFurther reading:Nelms, T. C., & Maurer, B. (2014)

00:20:28

E03 - The Use and Abuse of Incentives

Rethinking Rewards: The Psychology of Incentives,... ·

2025/09/22

In this episode, Erik dives into the question "do incentives work, such that they improve performance?". To try to answer this complex question, Erik discusses several important lines of research from psychology.(00:00) Introduction(01:09) Psychology of motivation(03:27) Experimental psychology(04:31) Neuroscience(06:18) Interim summary(06:49)Three drawbacks of incentives(07:40) Choking under pressure(10:49) Reduced intrinsic motivation(15:06) Perverse incentives(18:36) ConclusionsFurther

00:14:48

E02 - The Incredible Power of Immediate Consequences

Rethinking Rewards: The Psychology of Incentives,... ·

2025/09/22

In this episode, Erik discusses the legacy of radical behaviorism. He explains the basic features of radical behaviorism. He will also argue that the some key ideas from radical behaviorism are now more relevant than ever.(00:00) Introduction(00:50) The basic ingredients(03:24) In defense of single-subject designs(07:02) Why Skinner got cancelled(10:24) Why Skinner is still relevant(13:37) ConclusionFurther reading:O'Donohue, W., & Ferguson, K. E. (2001). The psychology of B.F. Skinner.

00:14:32

E01 - The Reward Debate

Rethinking Rewards: The Psychology of Incentives,... ·

2025/09/22

In this first episode, Erik talks about why there is so much controversy about when and how to use rewards.(00:00) Introduction(01:54) Different types of rewards (03:56) Defining key concepts(05:27) Introducing the debate on rewards(06:35) The role of humanism(08:43) Anti-reward influencers(13:20) Wrap-upCover art: Carrot generated with Craiyon.com Music:Home by Vlad Gluschenko ⁠https://soundcloud.com/vgl9⁠Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream:

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Rethinking Rewards: The Psychology of Incentives, Reinforcers, and Money

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