Motivation Science, Vol 10(4), Dec 2024, 263-276; doi:10.1037/mot0000348
Performance-contingent rewards can enhance cognitive effort and improve performance. However, it is unclear which reward components drive these effects, and how they impact performance when rewards are unavailable. In two studies we directly contrast the effects of two performance-contingent reward components: reward prospect (opportunity to earn a reward) and reward reception (knowledge of earning a reward). Participants completed a Simon task, receiving different types of reward information on each trial: Participants of the Prospect group were informed about reward opportunities, but received no trial-level feedback; participants of the reception group received no information about reward opportunities, but did receive feedback when they earned a reward. In Experiment 1, the prospect group responded faster on trials with reward opportunity, but slower on trials following rewarded trials. Participants in the reception group did not show this trial-by-trial modulation of response time. Experiment 2 replicated these effects and showed that they are accompanied by changes in pupil dilation, suggesting involvement of cognitive effort. These findings show that information about prospect of performance-contingent rewards enhances performance when rewards are available, but in contrast undermines it right after earning a reward whereas reward reception information does not lead to any trial-to-trial adjustments but results in more stable task performance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)