A reward intended to motivate a choice or to stimulate harder application to a task. It is a natural lever of social engineering, and is frequently a bonus offered in the hope of increasing the enthusiasm with which people do what they might otherwise regard as their duty. This strategy is often counter-productive, since a proper pride in going the extra mile is undermined by the knowledge that the extra mile was paid for, so that the agent working for the increased reward cannot see herself as doing just what needs doing or what she should be doing anyhow, while the natural disgruntlement or envy of those who do not receive the bonus can diminish the overall morale and engagement of the work force. However these considerations seldom deter those who think they have a right to benefit from such rewards. See also homo economicus, kleptoparasitism, self-respect.