Day-to-day fluctuations in motivation drive effort-based decision-making.

ABSTRACT: Internal states like motivation fluctuate substantially over time. However, studies of the neurocomputational mechanims of motivated behavior have failed to capture this. Here, we examined how naturalistic ups and downs in state motivation influence the subjective value of reward and effort. In a microlongitudinal design (N = 155, state timepoints = 3,344, decision-making tasks = 845), we captured fluctuations in state and effort-based decision-making using smartphone-based momentary assessments as people went about their daily lives. We found that both state and trait have independent and multiplicative effects on decision-making. State-behavior coupling was particularly pronounced in individuals with higher trait apathy, meaning that their choices were even more state dependent. Using co

SUBMITTER: Hewitt SRC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11962463 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature