Effects of Cooperative Reward Structures and Individual Accountability on Productivity and Learning

This article examines the effects of cooperative versus individual performance accountability on productivity (quality of what is produced) and individual learning. Forty-six high school students were assigned to three conditions. One group of students read and discussed reading passages in pairs and were paid based on the total number of items correct on three quizzes, but took the quizzes individually. The second group studied in pairs and were paid based on pair performance, but could work together on their quizzes. In the third condition, students studied alone, received payment based only on their own quiz scores, and took the quizzes alone. Results indicated higher productivity and learning in the cooperative reward conditions, and higher productivity but not greater learning in the low accountability than the high accountability cooperative reward treatment. The data thus do not show the anticipated positive effects of high individual accountability.