Incremental effects of reward on creativity

The authors examined 2 ways reward might increase creativity. First, reward contingent on creativity might increase extrinsic motivation. Studies 1 an d 2 found that repeatedly giving preadolescent students reward for creative performance in 1 task increased their creativity in subsequent tasks. Stud y 3 reported that reward promised for creativity increased college students ' creative task performance. Second, expected reward for high performance m ight increase creativity by enhancing perceived self-determination and, the refore, intrinsic task interest. Study 4 found that employees' intrinsic jo b interest mediated a positive relationship between expected reward for hig h performance and creative suggestions offered at work. Study 5 found that employees' perceived self-determination mediated a positive relationship be tween expected reward for high performance and the creativity of anonymous suggestions for helping the organization.