According to the article “Building a motivated research group”, money DECREASES motivation. Maybe it is better to go with volunteers, and not pay the undergrads. :/
Several studies have shown that money decreases motivation, and one study went on to examine the brain areas that lit up during this process.
Daycare in Israel–this is from that book Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. When the daycare instituted a late fee, MORE parents started being late. The value we place on our own behavior is more compelling than an external value placed on our behavior.
In keeping with my last post on why we should pay undergrads, the reason is for me, not them. I don’t want to look cheap! I want the undergrads to think that I value their contributions enough to go to bat for them and get them paid.