Dan Pink on the surprising science of motivation. Large Stakes and Big Mistakes. Nina Mazar + Author Affiliations Received August 1, 2006. Accepted July 1, 2008. Workers in a wide variety of jobs are paid based on performance, which is commonly seen as enhancing effort and productivity relative to non-contingent pay schemes. However, psychological research suggests that excessive rewards can, in some cases, result in a decline in performance. JEL classification © 2009 The Review of Economic Studies Limited. The influence of strength of drive on functional fixedness and perceptual recognition. Functional fixedness. Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used. The concept of functional fixedness originated in Gestalt Psychology, a movement in psychology that emphasizes holistic processing. Karl Duncker defined functional fixedness as being a "mental block against using an object in a new way that is required to solve a problem.
"[1] This "block" limits the ability of an individual to use components given to them to complete a task, as they cannot move past the original purpose of those components. For example, if someone needs a paperweight, but they only have a hammer, they may not see how the hammer can be used as a paperweight. When tested, 5-year-old children show no signs of functional fixedness. Examples in research[edit] Experimental paradigms typically involve solving problems in novel situations in which the subject has the use of a familiar object in an unfamiliar context. Candle box[edit] Two-cord problem[edit] Lera Boroditsky: How Language Shapes Thought. Bio Lera Boroditsky Lera Boroditsky is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and Editor in Chief of Frontiers in Cultural Psychology. Professor Boroditsky does research in cognitive science with a specific focus on cognitive linguistics.
She studies language and cognition, specifically focusing on interactions between language, cognition, and perception. She received her B.A. from Northwestern University and her Ph.D. from Stanford University, where her thesis advisor was Gordon Bower. Her research combines insights and methods from linguistics, psychology, neuroscience, and anthropology. She has received several awards for her research, including an NSF CAREER award, the Marr Prize from the Cognitive Science Society, and being named a Searle Scholar.
Her work has provided new insights on the controversial question of whether the languages we speak shape the way we think (see Sapir-Whorf hypothesis). Stewart Brand Alexander Rose next previous cancel linguistics semantics. Mark Pagel: How language transformed humanity. TEDxSydney - David Chalmers - The Extended Mind.