Final answer:
The statement is False. Understanding what individuals want as incentives ensures the rewards are meaningful and motivating, which can influence participation and the quality of outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that when planning to give incentives, you should never ask potential recipients what they want because then they would not be surprised is False. It is often beneficial to understand the preferences of the individuals to whom you are giving incentives to ensure the rewards are meaningful and motivating.
Depending on the context, the element of surprise can be less important than the perceived value of the incentive to the recipient. In a business or research setting, knowing what motivates individuals can help align the incentives with their desires, which in turn can lead to better outcomes. For example, if students participating in a survey are rewarded with a gift card to a video game store, this may influence the students' willingness to participate or the quality of data collected, especially if they are aware of the incentive beforehand. Incentives can also change the choices people make, suggesting that if the offered incentives were different, it could affect the participants' behavior and decision-making.