Modulation of ventral striatal activity by cognitive effort.

ABSTRACT: Effort discounting theory suggests that the value of a reward should be lower if it was effortful to obtain, whereas contrast theory suggests that the contrast between the costly effort and the reward makes the reward seem more valuable. To test these alternative hypotheses, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as participants engaged in feedback-based learning that required low or high cognitive effort to obtain positive feedback, while the objective amount of information provided by feedback remained constant. In the low effort condition, a single image was presented with four response options. In the high effort condition, two images were presented, each with two response options, and correct feedback was presented only when participants responded correctly to both of th

SUBMITTER: Dobryakova E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5303632 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature