高中英语外刊阅读24-当经济激励产生反效果.pdfVIP

本文就经济激励产生适得其反结果的现象做了深入探讨。这是一篇现象分析型文章，

按照“指出现象——分析现象——总结全文”的脉络展开论述，可以分为三大部分。

【原文】

ⅠOrganizationsandsocietiesrelyonfinesandrewardstoharnesspeoplesself-interestinthe

serviceofthecommongood.Thethreatofaticketkeepsdriversinline,andthepromiseofa

bonusinspireshighperformance.Butincentivescanalsobackfire,diminishingthevery

behaviortheyremeanttoencourage.

ⅡExperimentaleconomistshavefoundthatofferingtopaywomenfordonatingblood

decreasesthenumberwillingtodonatebyalmosthalf,andthatlettingthemcontributethe

paymenttocharityreversestheeffect.Consideranotherexample:Whensixday-carecenters

inHaifa,Israel,beganfiningparentsforlatepickups,thenumberoflateparentsdoubled.The

fineseemstohavereducedtheirethicalobligationtoavoidinconveniencingtheteachersand

letthemtothinkoflatenessassimplyacommoditytheycouldpurchase.

ⅢDozensofrecentexperimentsshowthatrewardingself-interestwitheconomicincentives

canbackfirewhentheyunderminewhatAdamSmithcalled“themoralsentiments.”The

psychologyherehasconfusedblackboardeconomists,butitwillbenosurprisetopeoplein

business:Whenwetakeajoborbuyacar,wearenotonlytryingtogetstuff-wearealso

tryingtobeacertainkindofperson.Peopledesiretobeesteemedbyothersandtobeseenas

ethicalanddignified.Andtheydontwanttobetakenforsuckers.Rewardingblooddonations

maybackfirebecauseitsuggeststhatthedonorislessinterestedinbeingunselfishthanin

makingabuck.

ⅣPerhapsmostimportant,incentivesaffectwhatouractionssignal,whetherwerebeingself-

interestedorcivic-minded,manipulatedortrusted,andtheycanimply-sometimeswrongly-

whatmotivatesus.Finesorpublicblamesthatappealtoourmoralsentimentsbysignaling

socialdisapproval(thinkoflittering)canbehighlyeffective.Butincent