Against using conditioning techniques to control children - School

State

Against using conditioning techniques to control children at school.

Explain

Montessori believes that relying on external reinforcement undermines a child’s natural curiosity to learn. Constant rewards may condition children to only perform tasks for incentives, potentially leading to decreased engagement and creativity.

Evidence

Gneezy et al highlight a significant ethical concern: schools with limited budgets may feel pressure to use rewards inappropriately or inconsistently, potentially disadvantaging students or encouraging compliance over genuine learning.

Why

Against using conditioning techniques to control children at school because conditioning techniques, while sometimes effective in the short term, can have negative consequences for children's motivation, resilience, and equity in education.