The Power of Recognition: How Rituals Boost Performance

How do sudden boosts in social status, especially through public rituals like award ceremonies, impact individual performance? The study focuses on "rituals," such as the NBA All-Star Game, where participants receive public recognition and prestige. 

Our results show that participating in these rituals can significantly boost productivity and performance. Peers also often provide better inputs, further enhancing participants' achievements. 

However, this performance boost isn’t permanent—it fades over time. This work highlights the power of symbolic recognition in driving short-term performance improvements and offers insights into how organizations might use rituals to motivate and elevate individuals.