JUNIOR EDITION for Ages 6+
Decisions: The Science of Thinking Clearly · Book 2

Incentives: Show Me How You're Paid

Can a reward make good people do the wrong thing?

In this book, you will find out…

When you grow up, you could…

Who is in the story

SiriSiriPuzzle solver. Has a plan to judge by Monday.
CharlieCharlieAsks one good question — then lets Siri find out.
WarrenWarrenTurns up late. Thinks about a hundred years from now.

Today’s mystery

Can a reward make good people do the wrong thing?

Look for the clues. Try to guess the answer before Siri does!

Chapter 1

The Rats With No Tails

🔍 Why would a city get MORE rats?
On Friday, the head teacher had a plan. A sticker for every book a child says they read.
On Friday, the head teacher had a plan. A sticker for every book a child says they read.
She asked Siri to judge it by Monday. Then, at a museum, Siri saw an old photo.
She asked Siri to judge it by Monday. Then, at a museum, Siri saw an old photo.
SiriWhy is there a photograph of rats?
Long ago, a city hired men to catch rats. The city paid them by the day.
Long ago, a city hired men to catch rats. The city paid them by the day.
The city had built a new sewer. Clean, dry, warm and safe.
The city had built a new sewer. Clean, dry, warm and safe.
Above it, a lovely city. Below it, the best rat home anywhere.
Above it, a lovely city. Below it, the best rat home anywhere.
Then people saw something odd. Rats in the street. Rats with no tails!
Then people saw something odd. Rats in the street. Rats with no tails!
The city had changed its plan. Bring in a rat tail, get a coin.
The city had changed its plan. Bring in a rat tail, get a coin.
The tails came in. Thousands of them. Then tens of thousands.
The tails came in. Thousands of them. Then tens of thousands.
Every day the number grew. The plan looked like it was working.
Every day the number grew. The plan looked like it was working.
Siri had a guess.
Siri had a guess.
SiriThe catchers were cheating!
Not quite. Somebody kept rats in boxes and fed them. More rats meant more tails!
Not quite. Somebody kept rats in boxes and fed them. More rats meant more tails!
Siri wrote a question.
Siri wrote a question.
SiriWhy did they think tails meant fewer rats?
Chapter 2

The Number That Can't See

🔍 Was anybody lying?
One tray filled up beautifully. The other tray was the one that mattered.
One tray filled up beautifully. The other tray was the one that mattered.
Charlie asked a question.
Charlie asked a question.
SiriThey were dishonest. Simple.
CharlieWho lied? The city asked for tails.
One coin. One tail. Nobody in the swap told a single lie.
One coin. One tail. Nobody in the swap told a single lie.
The counting was honest. The sums were perfect.
The counting was honest. The sums were perfect.
And the rat was still alive, still hungry, still busy.
And the rat was still alive, still hungry, still busy.
Siri drew two pictures side by side. Both made the same number.
Siri drew two pictures side by side. Both made the same number.
SiriThe number can't see the difference!
Siri’s notebook
Tails were easy to count. Rats were not. So they counted tails.
In the end the city closed the tail desk. The rats stayed.
In the end the city closed the tail desk. The rats stayed.
The arrow always hits the target. But who put the target there?
The arrow always hits the target. But who put the target there?
Then Siri had a worse thought.
Then Siri had a worse thought.
SiriSo honest people can do this too.
Chapter 3

The Four-Hour Clock

🔍 Can a kind rule bend things too?
An ordinary hospital. Good doctors. Good nurses. A long day.
An ordinary hospital. Good doctors. Good nurses. A long day.
And one clock that mattered more than all the others.
And one clock that mattered more than all the others.
The rule: finish almost everyone within four hours.
The rule: finish almost everyone within four hours.
SiriThat sounds like a kind rule.
It was kind. Long waits really did get shorter.
It was kind. Long waits really did get shorter.
But the numbers showed a big bump just before four hours.
But the numbers showed a big bump just before four hours.
Some people were moved to another room, so the clock stopped. They were still waiting.
Some people were moved to another room, so the clock stopped. They were still waiting.
Siri wrote two true things.
Siri wrote two true things.
SiriIt helped. It also bent things.
Two ways to beat the same clock. From outside, they look the same.
Two ways to beat the same clock. From outside, they look the same.
🔎 Clue found!
A number can be met the real way or the quick way.
Chapter 4

The Bank That Loved Eight

🔍 What happens when your name is next to a number?
A big bank had one number it loved: eight.
A big bank had one number it loved: eight.
Other banks sold each family about three things. This bank wanted eight.
Other banks sold each family about three things. This bank wanted eight.
Siri guessed.
Siri guessed.
SiriTheir things must just be better.
Every branch had a number for each day, with workers' names beside it.
Every branch had a number for each day, with workers' names beside it.
If you were short at five o'clock, you stayed and made calls.
If you were short at five o'clock, you stayed and made calls.
Soon, letters came for accounts that people had never asked for.
Soon, letters came for accounts that people had never asked for.
There was no secret meeting. No secret plan.
There was no secret meeting. No secret plan.
Just a number every morning, with your name printed next to it.
Just a number every morning, with your name printed next to it.
Siri did not like this answer.
Siri did not like this answer.
SiriSo nobody planned it? That can't be right.
She walked home with a hard question.
She walked home with a hard question.
SiriWould I have opened the extra four?
Chapter 5

The Mechanic's Hour

🔍 Do rewards make people tell lies?
A clean workshop. Good tools. Trained people.
A clean workshop. Good tools. Trained people.
Checkers drove cars in. They already knew what each car needed.
Checkers drove cars in. They already knew what each car needed.
Almost every time, the workshop said the car needed extra work.
Almost every time, the workshop said the car needed extra work.
But look closely. This pad is half worn.
But look closely. This pad is half worn.
Change it now, or in a year? Both answers are fair.
Change it now, or in a year? Both answers are fair.
The workers were now paid more for bigger bills. So close calls tipped one way.
The workers were now paid more for bigger bills. So close calls tipped one way.
Siri was cross.
Siri was cross.
SiriThey were cheating!
CharlieHow many? All of them?
Nearly all of them. That is not a few bad people. That is the design.
Nearly all of them. That is not a few bad people. That is the design.
Siri underlined one line.
Siri underlined one line.
SiriA reward doesn't buy lies. It buys close calls.
So is every reward bad? Siri needed to find one that worked.
So is every reward bad? Siri needed to find one that worked.
Chapter 6

The Cord Anyone Can Pull

🔍 Can a reward ever work well?
A huge car factory. Thousands of parts an hour. Everything moving.
A huge car factory. Thousands of parts an hour. Everything moving.
Above the line hangs a cord. Any worker may pull it.
Above the line hangs a cord. Any worker may pull it.
Siri guessed.
Siri guessed.
SiriPeople will pull it just for a rest!
Pull the cord and a lamp lights. Somebody comes to help.
Pull the cord and a lamp lights. Somebody comes to help.
If the problem is big, the whole line stops.
If the problem is big, the whole line stops.
The person who pulled it is not in trouble. Pulling it is the job!
The person who pulled it is not in trouble. Pulling it is the job!
Charlie asked her.
Charlie asked her.
SiriSo rewards aren't the problem?
CharlieWere they ever? Then what was?
One wrong bolt, found in four minutes, because finding it is praised.
One wrong bolt, found in four minutes, because finding it is praised.
Siri wrote it the right way round.
Siri wrote it the right way round.
SiriIt's not paying. It's WHAT you pay for.
Chapter 7

The Trap Recipe

🔍 How do you make a trap — and break it?
Siri laid her cases out. Tails, a clock, a bank, a workshop, a cord.
Siri laid her cases out. Tails, a clock, a bank, a workshop, a cord.
She tried a trick. She asked how she could make it fail.
She tried a trick. She asked how she could make it fail.
Her trap needed five things. She found them fast.
Her trap needed five things. She found them fast.
One number. Easy to count. Hard to check. Paid at once. Counted by the person paid.
One number. Easy to count. Hard to check. Paid at once. Counted by the person paid.
🔎 Clue found!
Every trap had all five parts. Break just one!
Then she checked her school's sticker plan. All five parts were there!
Then she checked her school's sticker plan. All five parts were there!
So she broke one.
So she broke one.
SiriA friend asks about each book. Then you get the sticker.
But why did the old traps run for years before anyone stopped them?
But why did the old traps run for years before anyone stopped them?
Chapter 8

The Long Wait

🔍 Why did nobody stop the traps sooner?
Siri thought nobody had been watching.
Siri thought nobody had been watching.
But lots of people were watching. They were watching the number.
But lots of people were watching. They were watching the number.
Warren was on the bench, enjoying the sun.
Warren was on the bench, enjoying the sun.
WarrenWhen did each reward arrive? And when did the bill?
Siri checked. The rewards came straight away. Every time.
Siri checked. The rewards came straight away. Every time.
The trouble came years later. Often to somebody else.
The trouble came years later. Often to somebody else.
Siri looked a long way out.
Siri looked a long way out.
SiriIt isn't just the number. It's the wait.
On Monday, Siri went to the head teacher's room.
On Monday, Siri went to the head teacher's room.
She showed her plan.
She showed her plan.
SiriStickers come after a friend hears about the book.
One path across the hill is wide and worn. It is wide because people were rewarded.
One path across the hill is wide and worn. It is wide because people were rewarded.
Then Siri noticed something. In every case, lots of people agreed.
Then Siri noticed something. In every case, lots of people agreed.
SiriIs agreeing the same as being right?

All the clues

  1. A number can be met the real way or the quick way.
  2. Every trap had all five parts. Break just one!

So… Can a reward make good people do the wrong thing?

Yes. A reward makes people chase the number, not the real goal. Check who counts it, what it misses, and when the bill comes.

OmahaIndia Junior · a simpler version of Book 1 for readers aged 6-8