(MONEY Magazine) – Georgia's Atlantic Coast Federal bank had almost no takers when it offered $5 in cash to people who opened a free checking account. So the bank picked a different incentive--$5 gift certificates to Pizza Hut. End result: 138 new sign-ups through November. What gives? It's human nature, says Harvard psychology professor Nicholas Epley. "Five dollars cash for any use doesn't create a response because work is required--you have to decide what to do with the money," he explains. "But if you state a specific that conjures up a positive reaction, like pizza, it's much more effective." Indeed. Hold the anchovies, please. --JONAH FREEDMAN