While it may seem almost intuitive that offering rewards to students will yield better results, that is not how it works; the result often is the opposite. The paradox of rewards is that their effect often has a limited impact on students, who then will lose curiosity; it also makes them feel as if they are being controlled--a negative motivating influence. Kohn explained that praise can be used as a reward with positive results if teachers follow certain steps: (1) Don't praise people, only what people do; (2) Make praise as specific as possible; (3) Avoid phony praise; and (4) Avoid praise that sets up a competition.