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Perceptions of Effectiveness of Rewards and Punishments: A Comparison of High- and Low-Achievers in Secondary School

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2016

Sam Winter ,
Leung Yuk-Wah  and
Ma Kwai-Heung
Sam Winter*
Affiliation:
Department of Education, University of Hong Kong
Leung Yuk-Wah
Affiliation:
Grantham College of Education, Hong Kong
Ma Kwai-Heung
Affiliation:
Northcote College of Education, Hong Kong
*
Enquiries or correspondence relating to this article should be directed to Sam Winter, Department of Education, University of Hong Kong, Pokpulan Road, Hong Kong.
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Abstract

Two Hong Kong studies are described which investigate the perceptions of junior secondary school pupils (high- and low-achieving) concerning the effectiveness of rewards and punishments. Both studies employ versions of Caffyn’s questionnaire. Initial analysis reveals that (a) there is a relationship between disaffection and achievement, and (b) pupils of both achievement levels have more favourable perceptions regarding the effectiveness of rewards than they do of punishments. A focus on the relationships between achievement and perceptions reveals that (c) high-achievers perceive a large number of rewards as more effective than do low-achievers, (d) low-achievers perceive very few other rewards as being more effective than do high-achievers, and (e) the situation is a little more balanced for punishments. The paper includes a discussion regarding particular reward and punishment items perceptions about which differentiate low-and high-achievers. Finally, it is noted that there is a high level of consistency between findings in the two studies reported in this paper. Where it is possible to make comparisons with other research findings from Hong Kong and elsewhere, a high degree of agreement between such findings is found.

Type
Research Article
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 15 , Issue 1-2: Contemporary Behavioural Perspectives in Special Education , 1992 , pp. 56 - 70
Copyright
Copyright © The Australian Association of Special Education 1992

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