Singapore Pays Citizens to Read Books to Combat Decline

Singapore's government is now paying citizens to read books. The scheme, launched this month, offers cash rewards for logging reading sessions on a government website to address a habit in steep decline.

Participants must complete 50 reading sessions of at least 15 minutes each to earn one Singapore dollar, with only one session allowed per day. Behavioral scientists told reporters that despite the low monetary value, the program could help establish a consistent habit.

The Behavioral Science Behind Payments

Psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, says the scheme is likely to have some beneficial effect for young people in setting up a reading habit. Ivo Vlaev, a professor of behavioral psychology at the National University of Singapore, argues the payment may act more as a trigger than a wage. He says logging time provides an immediate signal that the behavior is recognized, helping progress toward a goal.

Lory Barile, an associate professor in economics at the University of Warwick, notes the key question is whether the habit persists once the reward stops. Haidt agrees, warning that for some, the monetary reward could signal they are reading only for the extrinsic reward, which may cease when payments do.

Gamification and Habit Formation

The scheme's design incorporates elements that mimic the immediate rewards of digital scrolling. Patrick Taylor, director of education at the Behavioural Insights Team, says the gamified aspects may be smarter than the financial reward itself.

Having a manageable 15-minute daily goal, built around existing routines like commuting, with streaks and tracking to keep progress visible are the features that could drive success. Katy Milkman, a professor at Wharton, says for lapsed readers already intrinsically motivated, this nudge might be enough to tip them over the edge to read a bit more.

Comparisons and Potential Trials

Non-monetary reward schemes for reading, like certificates and badges, are already common in places like the UK. Barile suggests a UK pilot could compare different incentive structures to see what works best.

Such a trial could test small financial rewards against symbolic rewards like certificates, as well as pure gamification. Haidt proposed specific variations for a controlled test, including paying some children in cash, others in free books, and others with just competitive points, against a control group.

The Principle of Paying for Pleasure

The initiative raises a fundamental question about whether governments should financially reward an activity traditionally done for pleasure. Milkman challenges this framing, pointing out that societies subsidize and require many other forms of education.

She asks why reading should not be rewarded too. The Singapore experiment now puts that question to a practical test, using tiny cash incentives and digital tracking to see if a nation's reading habit can be rebuilt.