Part 1: What is the overjustification effect? The overjustification effect is a psychological theory. It can be used to help us understand how rewarding customers can actually hurt customer perceptions of a brand. Research has shown that when you reward people for doing something that they already enjoy, they may actually begin to lose interest in that activity over time. How does this work? One classic study examined the effects of rewards on children who enjoy math (Greene, Sternberg, & Lepper, 1976). Prior to the introduction of a rewards program, children who enjoyed math spent a great deal of time doing math activities—simply because they enjoyed the activities. The introduction of a rewards program for time spent doing math activities increased the amount of time children spent on the activities. Sounds good so far, right? However, once the rewards program was removed, the time spent on math activities actually decreased to levels lower than before the rewards program was introduced. What does this mean? Read more below! Could Rewarding Customer Loyalty Diminish Love for Your Brand? Part One Learn more at www.brandmindresearch.com