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It is of course ...
It is of course an old idea that one might motivate behavior with rewards, and so it has been extensively tested. The data is clear that you can increase a behavior with the promise of a reward. Further it is well documented that this displaces other motivations[1] for the work. It so effective at doing so that one of the best ways[2] to supress a bad behavior is to pay for it and then remove the payments.
The above a well known in the social sciences (except possibly naive branches of economics). Particularly in the education field, which makes me wonder who these people doing the research are. I see their mission statement says "We embrace untested, even "hertical" ideas and rigorously evaluate and reevaluate ..." Ah, I see - this is a branch of the Broad Foundation's efforts bring all the latest business management cultism into the schools.
[1] http://www.amazon.com/Punished-Rewards-Trouble-Incentive-Praise/dp/0618001816 [2] http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Shoot-Dog-Teaching-Training/dp/1860542387
-- (June 9, 2009) on monday 2009-06-08 1558
There is earlier...
There is earlier research, very well funded and executed, that shows that while tidy is corrolated with crime. So it that work (and yeah it would be nice to see the actual paper(s)) reproduces that result.
But the earlier research reachs a different conclusion. What you need to reduce crime is collective efficacy. Such nieghborhoods tend to be tidy, but even those that arent' have low crime rates.
http://enthusiasm.cozy.org/archives/2004/01/collective-efficacy
-- (February 21, 2009) on friday 2009-02-20 1745