A recent article from The Atlantic features two experiments by Dan Ariely, professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University, both of which showcased the similarities between building Legos and doing 9-to-5 work. But what exactly do Legos and actual work have in common? During the first experiment, or the “Meaningful” condition, participants were asked to build a Lego Bionicle for $3; when they finished, they were asked to build another one for less money, and so on until they no longer wanted to build more. The second experiment, or the “Sisyphus” condition, focused on similar techniques. But this time, experimenters destroyed the Bionicle right in front of the participant once he or she finished, then asked them to rebuild it for less money every time, as in the first experiment. Unsurprisingly, the average number of building times was 11 in the “Meaningful” condition and seven in the “Sisyphus” condition. The results are meant to show a correlation between whether we feel the work we do is being valued and how likely we are to exert ourselves based on receiving redirection as feedback instead of just a negative response from our superiors.
