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How do Incentives affect Creativity?

Author

Listed:
  • Katharina Eckartz

    (Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, International Max Planck Research School on Adapting Behavior in a Fundamentally Uncertain World)

  • Oliver Kirchkamp

    (Chair for Empirical and Experimental Economics, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena)

  • Daniel Schunk

    (University of Mainz)

Abstract

We compare performance in a word based creativity task under three incentive schemes: a flat fee, a linear payment and a tournament. Furthermore, we also compare performance under two control tasks (Raven's advanced progressive matrices or a number-adding task) with the same treatments. In all tasks we find that incentives seem to have very small effects and that differences in performance are predominantly related to individual skills.

Suggested Citation

  • Katharina Eckartz & Oliver Kirchkamp & Daniel Schunk, 2012. "How do Incentives affect Creativity?," Jena Economics Research Papers 2012-068, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    • Handle: RePEc:jrp:jrpwrp:2012-068
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    File URL: https://oweb.b67.uni-jena.de/Papers/jerp2012/wp_2012_068.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Creativity; Incentives; Real effort task; Experimental economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods

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