Why we do what we do

Edward Deci, one of the country's outstanding social psychologists, writing with former New York Times science and health editor Richard Flaste, offers some bad news and some good news: Rewards and punishments do not make workers perform more effectively, or students learn better, or families function more smoothly - that's the bad news. Indeed, it is the deadening of interest and commitment, from too much control, from overreliance on rewards and threats, that keeps people from peak performance.

But the good news is that people have an innate energy, interest, and excitement about the world that can be encouraged, and when they find greater satisfaction in what they do, they are more effective. Deci shows us how people work more efficiently, learn more intelligently, and treat each other better when their sense of autonomy is encouraged.

Give students the reasons why they need to learn something boring, bring workers into the decision process whenever possible, avoid the use of threats, and amazing results will ensue, because people are inherently interested in the world, and they perform optimally when their autonomy is supported. While this good news is a call for autonomy, it is not a call for anarchy. People need limits and structure, but the way these are provided makes all the difference.

Reading this book will revolutionize the way we think about motivation - and will give readers insight into what makes us tick.