Would you rather work in a stimulating, challenging job or a routine one filled with mundane repetition?
Almost everyone would say they prefer the former. But a new study finds that people typically contradict themselves once salaries enter the decision. If the two jobs pay the same, people often opt to put out less effort, not more.
Researchers Peter Ubel of Duke University andDavid Comerford of the University of Stirling call their theory “effort aversion.”
They find that the amount of effort people are asked to put out—if they are not compensated accordingly for it—often holds priority sway over their choices. This finding goes against classic economic theory, which predicts that effort is just one factor among many that people consider when deciding what will yield the most “utility,” or relative satisfaction to the individual… (Read more at The Washington Post)
