rewards

(noun)

A gift given for positive reinforcement.

Related Terms

Examples of rewards in the following topics:

  • Exchange

    • Rational choice theory supposes that every individual evaluates his/her behavior by that behavior's worth, which is a function of rewards minus costs.
    • Rewards are the elements of relational life that have positive value for a person, while costs are the elements of relational life that have negative value for a person.
    • The first is that humans seek rewards and avoid punishments.
    • Finally, social exchange theory acknowledges that the standards by which humans evaluate costs and rewards vary over time and from person to person.

  • The Functionalist Perspective: Motivating Qualified People

    • The layering is useful because it ensures that the best people are at the top and those who are less worthy are further down the pyramid, and therefore have less power and are given fewer rewards than the high quality people at the top.
    • Moore in a paper published in 1945, is a central claim within the structural functionalist paradigm, and purports that the unequal distribution of rewards serves a purpose in society.
    • Garbage collectors are important to public sanitation, but do not need to be rewarded highly because little training or talent is required to perform their job.
    • For example, according to this theory doctors should be rewarded highly, because extensive training is required to do their job.
    • It is logical that society must offer greater rewards (e.g., income, vacations, promotion) to motivate the most qualified people to fill the most important positions.

  • Sanctions

    • Sanctions can either be positive (rewards) or negative (punishment), and can arise from either formal or informal control .
    • As with formal controls, informal controls reward or punish acceptable or unacceptable behavior, otherwise known as deviance.
    • To maintain control and regulate their subjects, groups, organizations, and societies of various kinds can promulgate rules that act as formal sanctions to reward or punish behavior.

  • Religion and Social Control

    • Marx argued that religion was able to do this by promising rewards in the after-life, instead of in this life.
    • Only then would this class of people be able to rise up against the bourgeoisie and gain control of the means of production, and only then would they achieve real rewards, in this life.

  • Dominant Perspectives

    • The layering is useful because it ensures that the best people are at the top and those who are less worthy are further down the pyramid and therefore have less power and are given fewer rewards than the high quality people at the top.
    • Garbage collectors are important to public sanitation, but do not need to be rewarded highly, because little training or talent is required to perform their job.
    • Doctors should be rewarded highly, because great training is required to do their job.
    • It is logical that society must offer greater rewards (e.g., income, vacations, promotion) to motivate the most qualified people to fill the most important positions.

  • Inequalities of Work

    • One typical manifestation of occupational sexism is sexual harassment–-the intimidation, bullying, teasing, or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors.
    • Sexual harassment may be a particular offer extended to an individual (i.e., a promotion in return for sexual rewards) or the general atmosphere created within a workplace.

  • Explaining Poverty: The Sociological Debate

    • Those at the top are given power and rewards because of high abilities, and the high rewards exist to provide incentive for qualified people to do the most important work in high status occupations.

  • Marx and the "Opiate of the Masses"

    • Marx argues that religion accomplishes this by promising rewards in the after-life rather than in this life.
    • By focusing attention on otherworldly rewards, religion pacifies members by providing a worldview that deflects attention that would otherwise be directed at the inequalities of this world.

  • Job Discrimination

    • The most archetypical manifestation of occupational sexism is sexual harassment, or the intimidation, bullying, teasing, or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors.
    • Sexual harassment may be a particular offer extended to an individual (i.e., a promotion in return for sexual rewards) or the generally atmosphere created within a workplace.

  • Informal Means of Control

    • As with formal controls, informal controls reward or punish acceptable or unacceptable behavior.
    • As with formal controls, informal controls reward or punish acceptable or unacceptable behavior.