Singapore is paying people to read books
A government scheme is giving citizens cash for spending time with a good book. We ask behavioural scientists, along with The Anxious Generation author and psychologist Jonathan Haidt, whether it’ll help make the habit stick
TL;DR
- Singapore is offering cash incentives to citizens for logging reading time as a strategy to address a decline in reading habits.
- The scheme provides a low monetary reward (S$1 for 50 sessions of 15+ minutes), with experts suggesting it acts more as a 'trigger' than a substantial wage.
- Behavioral science suggests that consistent repetition aided by rewards can help a behavior become automatic, but long-term habit formation relies on the activity becoming intrinsically pleasurable.
- Gamified elements like manageable daily goals, progress tracking, and streaks are seen as potentially more effective than the financial reward itself.
- The scheme aims to mimic the immediate gratification of digital activities by offering short-term rewards for reading.
- Experts propose trials comparing small financial rewards with symbolic rewards like certificates or badges, and testing different reward types (cash, books, points).